Basic Books for

Collectors Of

Antique Prints and Maps

Following is a listing of the basic reference books on antique prints and maps which we recommend for the collector. These books are recommended for their content, which is of general interest, and because they are reasonably priced and readily available.

To order, contact us by phone, fax, regular post or e-mail. Please note that prices do not include shipping or tax. Shipping will be billed at cost and 8% tax applied to all orders shipped to Pennsylvania.

Please visit our reference book home page for other books related to antique prints and maps. If there is a book which you would like to suggest for addition to this recommended listing, please feel free to contact us.

Wilfrid Blunt and William T. Stern. The Art of Botanical Illustration. New York, 1994. Paper. A reissue with much improved illustrations of a great and until now very scarce classic. $14.95

Lloyd A. Brown. The Story of Maps. New York, 1977. Paper. One of the classics in the field. A readable history of cartography, focusing on the process and business of cartography rather than on maps themselves. This volume belongs in every cartographic library. $18.95

Donald H. Cresswell and Christopher W. Lane with Carolyn R. Cades. The A to Z of Antique Prints & Maps. Philadelphia, 2002. Paper. 40 pp. An expanded version of What is a Print? with information on collecting, research, storage, related periodicals, conservation and framing, among others. A concise reference. $8.00

Bamber Gascoigne. How to Identify Prints. A complete guide to manual and mechanical processes from woodcut to inkjet. New York, 2004. Paper. Second edition. Begins with a general survey, shows how prints look under magnification, and tells how they were made. $34.95

Linda C. Hults. The Print in the Western World. An Introductory History. Madison, 1996. Cloth. A comprehensive survey of Western printmaking from the 15th century to the present day. Intended as a college textbook, this volume includes detailed examinations of the artists and methods of each period. Generously illustrated and including a glossary of printmaking terms. $75.00

Philip Walker Jacobs. Glossary of Foreign Terms for the Study of Works of Art on Paper and Books. Wilmington, NC, 2006. Paper. Because many individuals find works of art on paper and antiquarian books to be rarified items that simultaneously intrigue and intimidate, the author has organized this glossary in order to aid those with little or no knowledge of foreign languages, and has mixed the appropriate Latin, German, Italian, Spanish and French terms alphabetically for easy access. $14.00

Maureen Lambourne. The Art of Bird Illustration. Secaucus, 1997. Paper. A fine single volume history with generously sized illustrations. $25.95

Christopher W. Lane and Donald H. Cresswell. Prints of Philadelphia ...Featuring the Wohl Collection. Philadelphia., 1990. Paper. Describes prints of Philadelphia from the 18th century through the 1930s. Gives a nice overall view on the subject. $18.00

Christopher W. Lane with D.H. Cresswell & C. Cades. A Guide To Collecting Antique Historical Prints. Philadelphia, 1995. Paper. A practical guide which discusses both the nature of antique historical prints and the issues involved in collecting them. $8.00

Christopher W. Lane with D.H. Cresswell. A Guide To Collecting Antique Maps. Philadelphia, 1997. Paper. A basic guide which discusses the nature of antique maps and the issues involved in collecting them. $8.00

Christopher W. Lane with D.H. Cresswell & C. Cades. A Guide To Collecting Currier & Ives. Philadelphia, 2001. Paper. A basic guide which discusses the nature of Currier and Ives prints and the issues involved in collecting them. $8.00

Carl Moreland & David Bannister. Antique Maps. A Collector's Handbook. Oxford, 1989. Paper. 3rd expanded edition. A useful reference for the beginner or sophisticated collector, now in an attractively-priced, new edition. Includes: general introduction, biographical listing of cartographers, and interesting short articles on collecting. $24.95

Jonathan Potter. Collecting Antique Maps. A New Edition with Price Guide. London, 2001. Updated edition. Cloth. A welcome reissue of this excellent basic map collecting book with a newly added price guide in British and U.S. currencies. With lots of crisp and colorful pictures, insightful and fairly comprehensive text, this is a book which belongs in every map collector's library, especially at the bargain price! With a new chapter on 19th century cartography and comments on the current map market. $30.00

Carol Prisant. Antiques Roadshow Primer: The Introductory Guide to Antiques and Collectibles from the Most-Watched Series on PBS. New York, 1999. Paper. Overview reference with timelines for styles and periods, and many illustrations, color and b&w. Includes glossary of related terms and lists of auction houses and appraisers affiliated with the show. $19.95

Rosemary Simmons. Dictionary of Printmaking Terms. London, 2002. Paper. An essential source for all those interested in printmaking, containing descriptions of printmaking terms and equipment, information on the techniques and materials resulting from new health and safety regulations, foreign terms and chemical formulae, and line drawings illustrating the text. $12.00

Sacheverell Sitwell. Fine Bird Books, 1700-1900. New York, 1990. Cloth. One of the most comprehensive guides to collectible color plate ornithological books, with 52 full-page color illustrations. $75.00

For further information, please contact:

106 E. Lancaster Avenue, Lower Level
Wayne, PA 19087 USA
610.808.6165
PhilaPrint@PhilaPrintShop.com

©The Philadelphia Print Shop Last updated July 16, 2021