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I have read with great interest the recent discussion on old maps as an
investment or not. There are roughly two positions: that of George Ritzlin
who says that enjoyment is the only certain dividend of investing in maps,
and that any financial return is uncertain.
On the other side, Barry Ruderman states that when a customer asks if the
acquisition of a 1612 Ortelius atlas for 200,000 dollars is a good
investment, one is obliged to give an answer. (My answer would be: too
much).
So far, the discussion is an American affair. In my experience of 30 years
as a map dealer, the market mainly consists of the US and Western Europe.
When the Euro was introduced in 1999, the Euro was worth 0.80 US Dollars.
Three years ago, the Euro was worth 1.60 dollars. These differences are
greater than any appreciation or depreciation of old maps during that period
of time, and deprives the question of this message largely of its meaning.
Since my stock almost exclusively consists of Ortelius maps, I may be in a
better position than most dealers, to judge price differences over time, in
my own sales, and in auctions which are my main source for acquiring new
maps. My only standard is price in Euros, (and I have persuaded other Dutch
dealers successfully that they should price their maps in Euros if they buy
them in Euros, even if this means loss of the US market).
I would typically sell an Ortelius world map in the early 80's for the
equivalent of 1500 Euros. Prices rose steadily since then and reached their
top in 2001 when I would sell a world map for 10000 Euros. Since then the
market declined, and prices with it. My average Ortelius world map now costs
about 7000 Euros, but I have not sold one since 2005. The cheaper Ortelius
maps, like French and German provinces, basically still have the prices
which they had in the early 80's. Auction prices show the same picture, and
much presently remains unsold.
Marcel van den Broecke
--
Cartographica Neerlandica
http://orteliusmaps.com/
tel. +31 30 2202 396
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