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Irish Times

Maps and globes of a world that no longer exists up for auction

Historical ordnance survey maps and their ancillary notebooks carry a wealth of local information that will be of interest to people tracing old family homesteads, deceased relatives or even topographical features that no longer exist. In the first half of the 1800s, Ireland became the first place in the world to have detailed ordnance survey maps for an entire country. In 2024 these six-inches-to-a-mile maps, books of placenames (Irish placenames with their first recorded anglicised forms), memoirs and letters of surveyors were digitalised in the OS200 project, led by Dr Keith Lilley, professor of historical geography at Queen's University Belfast, and Dr Catherine Porter, associate professor of geography at the University of Limerick. Now, members of the public can search this digital archive while also consulting the original bound books of ordnance survey maps in the Royal Irish Academy on Dawson Street, Dublin, with the assistance of librarians there. But some people prefer to own such materials, and collecting maps, manuscripts, books on local history and even globes remains a specialist area of sales, that auction houses and rare book dealers delight in seeking out the right buyers for. READ MORE De Búrca Rare Books in Dublin is highlighting its collection of maps of various parts of Ireland that come from the Down Survey, the 17th Century survey of estates of Irish landowners carried out by Sir William Petty De Búrca Rare Books in Dublin is highlighting its collection of maps of various parts of Ireland that come from the Down Survey, the 17th-century survey of estates of Irish landowners carried out by Sir William Petty. The survey, which reportedly took 1,000 men 13 months to complete, resulted in the publication of Hiberniae Delineatio, then deemed to be a milestone in Irish cartography. The maps for sale via De Búrca Rare Books include those for the provinces of Leinster, Connought (sic), Munster and Ulster (€575 each). There are also historical maps of Kildare, Wexford, Wicklow and other counties, printed in Dublin in 1732 from the original copperplates of the 1685 first edition of Hiberniae Delineatio. Irlandaie Accurata Descriptio (€75), a rare map of Ireland published in 1609 by Baptista Boazio, is another collector's item in the current catalogue. And then there are those who prefer old globes, which are fascinating for their snapshot of the knowledge of the world of the time of their making. Antique globes are also relatively scarce, as most surviving ones are held in museums and private collections. Early-19th-century terrestrial and celestial globes on stands A pocket terrestrial globe with a celestial globe depicted on the inside of its shark skin case Fonsie Mealy's Chatworth Summer Fine Art Sale on Wednesday and Thursday, June 18th and 19th, from 10.15am in Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny, has a rare pair of large early-19th-century terrestrial and celestial globes on stands (€15,000-€20,000) among the 1,000-plus lots. Terrestrial globes cover the earth, while celestial globes represent the constellations of the night sky. Made by John and William Newton in London in 1818, these globes were published in partnership with contemporaneous map engravers. The Mealy auction also has a pocket terrestrial globe with a celestial globe depicted on the inside of its sharkskin case (€15,000-€20,000). On this globe, made by Nataniel Hill in 1754, North America bears only the names of some British colonies with the northwest coasts of the continent marked as unknown parts. Australia is still named New Holland, and much of central and southern Africa is empty. Enthusiasts will be able to date a specific globe with their knowledge of colonial voyages of discoveries and shifting geopolitical boundaries. One of a series of 25 hand-coloured prints of Dublin city following the style of James Malton One of a series of 25 hand-coloured prints of Dublin city following the style of James Malton One of a series of 25 hand-coloured prints of Dublin city following the style of James Malton The Mealy auction, which has lots of antique silver, jewellery, Japanese, Chinese and Tibetan ornaments, also features a series of 25 hand-coloured prints of Dublin city (€6,000-€7,000), following the style of James Malton. Once a staple of Georgian Dublin decor, these prints will now be more of interest to architectural history enthusiasts. Georgian Dublin fans may also be interested in checking out a new exhibition in the City Assembly House, Irish Georgian Society headquarters on South William Street, Dublin 2. The Patrick Earley Collection: 18th and 19th Century views of Dublin and Wicklow has Irish topographical art portraying views of Dublin and Wicklow from 1770-1870. A view of Tinnehinch and Powerscourt, Co Wicklow, by John Henry Campbell (1757-1828) The Powerscourt Waterfall, Grafton Street in Dublin, the Victorian seafront in Bray, Co Wicklow, and the Georgian splendour of College Green in front of Trinity College Dublin are among the views included. The works were completed by artists such as William Sadler, John Henry Campbell and Patrick Vincent Duffy. The Dublin collector Patrick Earley spent more than 50 years amassing the works, which he gave to the State earlier this year through section 1003 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, which allows people who donate heritage items to credit 80 per cent of the value of these items against various tax liabilities. The collection, whose long-term destination is Kilmacurragh House and Gardens in Co Wicklow, will be on show at the IGS headquarters until August 27th. ; ; What did it sell for? Incoming Tide by Paul Henry Incoming Tide by Paul Henry Estimate €90,000-€130,000 Hammer price Not sold Auction house Dolan's Man Running by Jack B Yeats Man Running by Jack B Yeats Estimate €100,000-€150,000 Hammer price €100,000 Auction house Dolan's A Word in Confidence, Tallow Horse Fair by Arthur K Sanderson A Word in Confidence, Tallow Horse Fair by Arthur K Sanderson Estimate €1,600-€1,800 Hammer price €1,600 Auction house Dolan's Japanese silver bowl Japanese silver bowl Estimate €1,500-€2,500 Hammer price €1,400 Auction house Sheppard's