Sign In

- Or use -
Forgot Password Create Account

Gerard Mercator is one of the most famous cartographers of all time. Mercator was born in Flanders and educated at the Catholic University in Leuven. After his graduation in 1532, Mercator worked with Gemma Frisius, a prominent mathematician, and Gaspar a Myrica, a goldsmith and engraver. Together, these men produced globes and scientific instruments, allowing Mercator to hone his skills.

With his wife, Barbara, Mercator had six children: Arnold, Emerentia, Dorothes, Bartholomeus, Rumold, and Catharina.  In 1552, Mercator moved to Duisburg from Leuven, where he lived for the rest of his life. In 1564, he was appointed the official cosmographer to the court of Duke Wilhelm of Cleve.

Mercator’s most important contribution was the creation and popularization of a projection which now bears his name. On Mercator projection maps, all parallels and meridians are drawn at right angles to each other, with the distance between the parallels extending towards the poles. This allowed for accurate latitude and longitude calculation and also allowed navigational routes to be drawn using straight lines, a huge advantage for sailors as this allowed them to plot courses without constant recourse to adjusting compass readings.

Mercator’s other enduring contribution to cartography is the term “atlas”, which was first used to describe his collection of maps gathered in one volume. The Mercator atlas was published in 1595, a year after Mercator’s death, thanks to the work of his sons, particularly Rumold, and his grandsons.

Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
18.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
56307
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
54833
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
54863
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
17.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
57948
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58394
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
16 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
93125
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1620 circa
Size:
16.5 x 12 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
65595
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1620 circa
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
69198
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1627
Size:
17.5 x 14.5 inches inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
51478
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1630 circa
Size:
10 x 7 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
98422
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1630 circa
Size:
10.25 x 7.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
93710
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1690 circa
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
Good
Stock#:
72635
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1695 circa
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58557
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1695 circa
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
58899
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1698
Size:
16 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
39694se
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1698 circa
Size:
18 x 12.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
58584

Archived

Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18.5 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
78291
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
73151
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
17.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
78292
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
16 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
77885
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
75813
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
76422
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
17 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
74307
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
73819
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1584 circa
Size:
18.5 x 12 inches
Condition:
Fair
Stock#:
75626
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1584 circa
Size:
16 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
78255
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
82406
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1584
Size:
16 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89147
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
16 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89159
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
89179
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
89161
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89160
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18.5 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
89163
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
17.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89156
Place/Date:
Geneva / 1587
Size:
21 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
48075
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1589
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
22208
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1589
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
36102
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1589 (1619)
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
36988
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1589 (1619)
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
48251
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
18687
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1595
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
18692
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
22205
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
22287
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1595
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
Stock#:
24161
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
16 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
24177
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
15 x 9 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
24332
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
16 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
24378
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
24387
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
24388
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
24408
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
17 x 12.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
24409
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
24422
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
24441
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
24450
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
24512
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25133
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25781
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25851
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25867
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25890
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25930
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25910