Maps

Maps of all types have been collected for centuries. The earliest known world map was drawn by Babylonians and in the 6th century B.C. The earliest known printed maps were made in 1478. The first printed street map showed London in 1559. The first road maps for use by drivers of automobiles were made in 1901. Collectors buy maps that were pages of old books, as well as the multifolded road maps popular in this century. Terrestrial globes are spherical maps of the earth. Celestial globes show the position of the stars and the constellations in the sky. For more information, explore our identification guides for paper ephemera.