Map of the Carolinas Tops Old World Auction

A rare and important early first state map of the Carolinas from 1685 sold for $29,325, and an extraordinary map of the Americas and surrounding oceans from 1740 rose to $20,125 in Old World Auctions’ February sale. Nearly 800 lots came up for bid in the auction, which totaled $420,277.

A rare and important early first state map of the Carolinas from
1685 by Thornton, Morden & Lea, titled A New Map of Carolina,
showing early settlements and landowners sold for $29,325.

The top lot map, A New Map of Carolina by Thornton, Morden & Lea, showed early settlements and landowners and included depictions of Native Americans and animals, such as turkeys and even ostriches.

Andries and Hendrik de Leth’s Carte Nouvelle de la Mer du Sud, depicting the Americas and surrounding oceans, is one of the most decorative ever engraved. The map featured the Island of California, the sea routes of famous explorers, and scenes of cannibalism and human sacrifice. In full contemporary color and in pristine condition, the map bested the $17,000 high estimate.

An extraordinary 1740 map of the Americas and surrounding
oceans by Andries and Hendrik de Leth, titled Carte Nouvelle
de la Mer du Sud, sold for $20,125.

“The map market continues to be robust,” said Eliane Dotson, who co-owns Old World Auctions with her husband, Jon. “We saw numerous items sell for well above their estimates, and there was strong bidder participation overall. Several of the categories that did particularly well were early world maps and 19th-century Americana.”

Of the 790 lots offered, 698 were sold. “That was an 88 percent sell-through rate, the highest we’ve seen in the last two years,” Eliane Dotson said. All prices quoted include the buyer’s premium.

A rare first plate map of the New World from 1573 by Abraham Ortelius, titled Americae sive Novi Orbis, Nova Descriptio, is one of the most famous maps of America and one that had enormous influence on the future cartography of the New World. It blew past the estimate to finish at $10,925.

A New Chart of the Coast of North America from Port Royal Entrance to Matanza Inlet, by Laurie & Whittle from 1809 – a rare, separately issued chart focusing on the coastline of Georgia, extending north to Hilton Head and south to St. Augustine, gaveled for $10,350.

For more information, check out the Old World Auctions archive here.

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