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Maps of Africa have a special glamour. The Dark Continent presented almost impossible mapping difficulties for the early explorers. The coast of the continent was well mapped by the beginning of the 16th Century. The interior was represented by guesswork or vast blanks well into the 19th although the Mediterranean coast and its hinterland were well mapped as far back as Roman times. The names of cartographers of Africa are more easily recognized than any others - Livingstone, Vasco da Gama, Speke - names that shine as examples of determination and dedication in the face of incredible hardships. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of maps of Africa is the continuing change of jurisdictions, boundaries and names that can be traced by a study of successive maps over the years. Click on a thumbnail to view a larger image. Use the Back Button on your Browser to return to this page.  AF 107 of 1801 Please ask for an email scan of any of these maps that appeal to you - use the Enquiries Button above or at the foot of the page     Sizes are all in millimetres.   Item Date Description Cartographer Publisher Mounted Matted Overall Size Price £ AF 082 1747 Africa - "An Accurate Map of Africa drawn from the best and most modern charts". Dated 1747 but perhaps published only in 1775. Superb piece in excellent condition but showing original folds. Displays an amazing series of wrong guesses about the continent and so fascinating. Cape Town is "Dutch fort", there are countries of Abyssinia and of Ethiopia, the latter contains the territory of "man eaters". Lake Chad is shown as is a misplaced Lake Nyasa but the East African lakes and source of the Nile are absent Old, perhaps original, hand colouring. Emanuel Bowen Mounted coloured 315x260 95  SOLD AF 106 1763 Africa - Kaap der Goede Hoope [Cape of Good Hope] - Superb condition hand coloured copper engraved map drawn by Abbe de la Caille in 1752. The cartographer was a Jesuit priest and astronomer who visited the Cape to take celestial observations. Printed on hand laid watermarked paper [perhaps w/mk is arms of Amsterdam but another impression seems to Sicard &...]. This is exceptional in quality in every way. Isaak Tirion see scan at head of page Unmounted Coloured 254x350    image 220x310 110 SOLD AF 111 1787 Africa. Absolutely charming little bijou map from a copper plate. Hand outline colouring showing countries, both real and imaginary - these include the Kingdom of Medra and also Monomatopa. In handsome mount with 60mm border all round. Delightful, inexpensive gift. Anon Mounted Coloured  215x200 25 SOLD AF 083 1793 Africa. Fine little engraved map with delicate hand colouring - showing the continent in a basically  pre-colonial era. Perhaps from the Atlas Minor. Shows the Kingdoms of Egypt, Nubia [Sudan] and Abissinia. None of the large lakes are shown and the Nile rises in the Mountains of the Moon. Lovely item, newly mounted. S. Neele Mounted Coloured 265x225 35 AF 107 1801 Africa. Rare engraved map published by the Newcastle firm of Vint & Anderson. Delightfully inept cartography as the author tries to detail the interior of the Dark Continent. The Ginges and Zimboes [Zimababweans] occupy an area of the Congo and are described as anthropophages [cannibals]. The Xhosas are called Gatsguas. Mind you this was before Britain had any influence in Southern Africa at all. A lot of the detail is taken from old Portuguese maps so this neat map has a lot of fascination. John Vint scan above Mounted Coloured 335x295 50 AF 104 1806 Africa - exceptionally interesting old engraved map which [working from legends] divides Africa entirely into separate states - including Monoemui [Land of the Man-eaters], Fungeno, Makoko, Mataman, Ajan etc, etc. A very misshapen Madascari sits alongside the continent which is lightly coloured in shades of yellows and greens. Barlow for Brightly & Kinnersley, dated 1806. Mounted Coloured 308x290 45 AF 089 1815 Africa, interesting engraved map with light outline colouring. A largely blank interior until the Mountains of the Moon are reached. Coastal areas from Guinea round to the Horn of Africa are well detailed. There is stab at marking Lake Malawi [Moravi] and Timbuctoo [Tombuctoo]. A relatively rare map seldom found in this good condition. Two original folds. Lovely piece of history at a modest price. M. Thomson for Walker's New Atlas Mounted Coloured 325x300 45 AF 088 1823 Africa. Pretty engraved map of the whole continent with light outline colouring. As usual for the period the interior is mostly conjecture or entirely blank. No physical boundaries are marked [except Cape Colony] but legend indicates Egypt, Nubia, Abyssinia, Darfur, Mozambique, Angola, Congo, Gabon, Biafra, Benin, Gold Coast, Ivory Coast, Maroc and Tripoli. The Nile rises in the Mountains of the Moon. Thomson & Hall, perhaps after Thomson's map in Walker's New Atlas of 1815. Mounted Coloured 360x319 45 AF 093 C. 1830 South Africa - very attractive quarto map, engraved and hand coloured showing the Cape Colony but much detail of an exploratory nature to the North, particularly into the Bechuana area. Inset shows the new settlements created by the 1820 Settlers. Neele & Son for Peter Jackson Mounted Coloured 360x303 30 AF 094 1831 Africa - large engraved map of the continent with limited interior detail, as expected. Extends to islands in the Atlantic and just catches the coast of  S. America. Original outline colouring. ample margins. J & C Walker for the SDUK Unmounted Coloured 335x410 50 AF 101 1831 Egypt - fascinating and detailed large engraved map with minimal outline original colouring.  Nice key to the meaning of place names - extravagantly detailed for the period. J & C Walker for the SDUK Unmounted Coloured 335x410 22 AF 097 1834 Algeria - fascinating and detailed large engraved map with minimal outline original colouring. This is Part II of a series . J & C Walker for the SDUK Unmounted Coloured 410x335 17 AF 096 1836 North Africa or Barbary - large engraved map with minimal outline original colouring. This is Part I of a series extending from the border with Algeria right down to Cape Noun. There is a lovely inset town plan of the town of Marocco itself with a numbered key to 22 places of interest plus the 11 gates of the city. The interior is amazingly well detailed. Very interesting indeed. J & C Walker for the SDUK Unmounted Coloured 410x335 17 AF 084 1836 Africa - very fine engraved map with light hand colouring. Shows the states of Egypt, Nubia [Sudan], Abyssinia, Darfur, Bergoo, Dar Goka, Empire of Morocco and Colony of the Cape of Good Hope.  Lake Chad is there as is a tiny Lake Malawi [Maravi] and the site of the Zimbabwe Ruins [Zimbaoe]. Probably quite accurate on the West Coast and shows some oases in the Zaara Desert. Very clean and interesting. Neele & Sons for G.B. Whittaker of Ave Maria Lane. Mounted Coloured 325x300 50 AF 098 1836 Tunisia [ Tunis and part of Tripoli] - fascinating and detailed large engraved map with minimal outline original colouring. Interesting notes such as "Alsibkar - Great salt lake but in summer covered in dry salt". This is Part III of a series . J & C Walker for the SDUK Unmounted Coloured 410x335 17 AF 099 1837 Tripoli - fascinating and detailed large engraved map with minimal outline original colouring.  Good detail along the coast and some unusual detail of the desert area. This is Part IV of a series . J & C Walker for the SDUK Unmounted Coloured 410x335 17 AF100 1837 North Africa or Barbary - parts of Tripoli & Egypt - fascinating and detailed large engraved map with minimal outline original colouring.  Shows disputed land area, areas of tribal influence, oases etc . Probably historically important. Part V of a series begun 3 years earlier, J & C Walker for the SDUK Unmounted Coloured 410x335 17 AF 046 1837 North Africa (or Barbary) - parts of Tripoli and Egypt - roughly the borders of modern Egypt and Libya. A large part of this area is ruled by the Tribe of Oulad-Ali. Oases and many other features are marked. SDUK Unmounted Uncoloured 400x320 15 AF 085 1838 Africa. Large engraved map with original hand outline colouring showing the whole continent divided largely by political units [some imaginary]. Text French. Naturally no lakes sourcing the Nile nor Lake Malawi. The Lapies, father & son made a good stab at marking tribal grounds, mostly based on rumour! Repaired split on fold line, faintly grubby in margins but map area is clean. Lapie Unmounted coloured 680x500 40 AF 027 1838 Africa Antiqua. The North and North-west coats of Africa in classical times- from Libya to Mali with some interior detail. This is Africa, as the Romans knew it, on a hand coloured engraved map. Sidney Hall for Samuel Butler Mounted Coloured 340x300 18 AF 028 1838 Africa - a classical, hand coloured engraved map showing the North coast of Africa in great detail (as it was known to Hannibal and Julius Caesar).  Sidney Hall for Samuel Butler Mounted Coloured 340x300 18 AF 110 1838 South Africa - Cape Colony. Published by Orr & Co for a school atlas, with repaired splits along original fold. Neat original hand colouring showing various administrative areas - extends into Natal and Orange River Sovereignty.  Much of the detail beyond the British administration came from missionary maps. John Dower Mounted Coloured 365x325 25 AF 087 1839 Africa - good quality hand coloured engraved map. Most of the centre of the continent is labelled "Unexplored" yet the site of Zimbabwe is shown as well as some slightly odd detail of the Cape Colony plus 17 other clearly coloured political divisions in this mainly pre-colonial era. The North African savannah and desert areas have much detail but no large lakes are marked except Tchad. Allan Bell Mounted Coloured 410x465 55 AF 075 1839 Egypt - large and elegant map with a mine of information. Old hand colouring. Guaranteed to please! Allan Bell Mounted Coloured 410x465 30 AF 049 1839 West  Africa - Ashanti to the Bight of Biafra and extended East to Lake Tchad. Lists many fabled and imaginary cities and indicates explorer routes - it is actually a record of explorations. Original hand colouring [includes small ink blot at upper left in blank area]. SDUK Unmounted Coloured 400x320 20 AF 102 1839 West Africa - fascinating and detailed large engraved map with minimal outline original colouring.  Shows towns & villages but concentrates on areas of tribal influence - Senegal to Ashanti with a staggering amount of interior detail. J & C Walker for the SDUK Unmounted Coloured 410x335 22 AF 103 1839 West Africa - fascinating and detailed large engraved map with minimal outline original colouring.  Shows towns & villages but concentrates on areas of tribal influence . Covers part of Ashanti to the Bight of Biafra and interior to Lake Tchad. This is very attractive and uncluttered map. J & C Walker for the SDUK Unmounted Coloured 410x335 22 AF 047 1840 North Africa - "Ancient Africa or Libya" part I,  but actually the whole of north Africa from Mauretania to a point below Sardinia.  This is map showing classical places so many Roman, Greek, Phoenician and Carthaginian towns are shown. SDUK Unmounted Uncoloured 400x320 15 AF 048 1840 North Africa - "Ancient Africa or Libya" part II,  but actually the whole of north Africa from Carthage to the Nile. This is map showing classical places so many Roman, Greek, Phoenician and Carthaginian towns are shown. SDUK Unmounted Uncoloured 400x320 15 AF 090 1841 Egypt - fabulous pair of hand coloured and engraved maps drawn by Aaron Arrowsmith in 1828. One shows "modern" Egypt and the other Ancient Egypt with alternative place spellings. Amazing opportunity to compare. Sold only as a set. E.P. Williams, the Eton Atlas Mounted Coloured 365x390 each £40 the pair  SOLD AF 105 1841 Northern Africa - fabulous pair of hand coloured and engraved maps drawn by Aaron Arrowsmith in 1828. One shows the  "modern" area in two long strip maps [fascinating detail of Algiers and Tripoli Barca] whilst the other has the same area in Roman times with alternative place spellings and almost unbelievable coastal accuracy. Amazing opportunity to compare. Sold only as a set. E.P. Williams, the Eton Atlas Mounted Coloured 365x390 each £25 the pair AF 077 1843 Biblical maps - 2 good engraved maps - The Countries of the Travels of  St. Paul; Lower Egypt, Peninsula of Mt. Sinai and the Journeys of the Israelites. On a single sheet, both with wide margins, Israelite map has some small wormholes. W. Hughes Unmounted Uncoloured 310x430 12 AF 052 1846 Africa - excellent engraved map of the whole continent, before Livingstone's discoveries. Well detailed as to the coast but largely blank inland [but without recourse to the popular legends of the day], so being the whole truth as known at the time. Nicely hand coloured and with a fine vignette of Algiers. A. Fullarton Unmounted Coloured 205x255 38 AF 108 1847 Africa - pretty little map of some rarity being No. 26 of The Edinburgh New Cabinet Atlas. Attractive and light colouring by countries though typically vague for the period with no lakes shown. The map appears to be of much earlier construction than the published date. Fine decorative border and in superb condition. Published John Morrison, Glasgow. Mounted Coloured 320x280 27 AF 054 1847 Egypt - Striking and extremely well detailed  hand coloured  engraving of some rarity.  A. Fullarton Unmounted Coloured 145x115 10 SOLD AF 056 1847 Egypt - Map of the coast and environs of Alexandria. Handsome hand coloured small engraving showing outstanding detail. A. Fullarton Unmounted Coloured 145x115 20 AF 055 1847 Egypt - Lower Egypt. Handsome hand coloured small engraving from the Pyramids north. A. Fullarton Unmounted Coloured 145x115 10 AF 086 1854 West Africa - very fine engraved map by Rapkin for Tallis. Senegal River to Fernando Po and inland to latitude 10 degrees. Illuminated by 4 fine hand coloured vignettes - Christianborg, Cape Coast Castle, Sierra Leone, Bakel [all with ships]. One original fold, faintly showing. Drawn by Winkles, eng. by Radclyffe, cartography by Rapkin Unmounted Coloured 365x275 25 AF 109 1854 South Africa - very fine engraved map by Rapkin for Tallis. Natal and Kaffraria. Illuminated by a magnificent  hand coloured vignette of Port Natal and another of Port Natal with ships.  One original fold, faintly showing. Original outline colouring. Drawn by Winkles, eng. by Radclyffe, cartography by Rapkin Mounted or Unmounted - the latter being £5 cheaper 275x365 70 AF 110 1854 South Africa - very fine engraved map by Rapkin for Tallis. Cape Colony in original hand outline colouring. Illuminated by 6 fine hand coloured vignettes including Graham's Town, Cape Town and Entrance to Knysna.  One original fold, faintly showing. Drawn by Winkles, eng. by Radclyffe, cartography by Rapkin Mounted or Unmounted - the latter being £5 cheaper 365x275 85 AF 045 1851 Africa - delightful , good sized continent map with minimal original colouring and minimal knowledge! The Dark Continent has a pure white centre and various bits are in the wrong place or the wrong size. An old tear has been repaired, virtually invisibly. J & C Walker for the S.D.U.K. Unmounted Coloured 390x330 40 AF 071 1852 Egypt - good sized engraved and hand coloured map with good detail on the Nile down to Assouan [Aswan]. Interesting statistical panel.  Includes a good part of Arabia.  George Philip Unmounted Coloured 235x315 15 AF 023 1856 Egypt. Two finely engraved maps on one sheet. The Coast and environs of Alexandria - Lower Egypt. Original hand colouring, as issued. Naturally - no Suez Canal! G.H. Swanston Mounted Coloured 240x340 14 AF 024 1856 "Abessinia and the Adjacent Countries", a tremendously interesting map (I suspect partly imagination) of the area. Superbly engraved by G.H. Swanson and with original hand colouring. Augustus Petermann Mounted Coloured 340x240 17 AF 018 1861 NW Africa, just Morocco, Algeria and Tunis in substantial detail. Elegantly drawn and coloured in outline only. Johnston Unmounted Coloured 305x490 8 AF 031 1862 Africa - an inspired invention for the most part but even that is extinguished for the vast area between Lake Nyasa and Ethiopia - it is a blank. The engraving is of superb quality, there is a fine ornamental border and some light outline colouring. Good to look at. J. Rapkin Mounted Coloured 430x360  45 AF 061 1865 Egypt - John Rapkin's justly famous engraved map with later hand colouring. Minor marginal repair outside image area. Superb detail and a magnificent and unique decorative border. J. Rapkin Unmounted Coloured 260x350 25  AF 059 1873 NW Africa, Morocco, Algeria, Tunis - highly detailed and beautifully drawn and coloured. Comes with a 2 page Index of place names. Johnston Unmounted Coloured 305x490 8 AF065 1874 Egypt - a fine, large engraved map with original hand outline colouring. Eminently frameable. A wealth of topographical data is inscribed over and above place names etc. Suit an historical author. SDUK Unmounted Coloured 324x405 13   SOLD AF 064 1874 West Africa - a suite of folio engraved maps with original hand coloured outlines - displaying, on two maps and in lavish detail, the Bight of Biafra to Timbuktu. Extensive detailing would suit a write of historical fiction [or fact]. J & C Walker for the SDUK Unmounted Coloured 415x315  each £20 the set AF 057 1882 Egypt. Handsomely presented map of Egypt side-by-side with another of the Nile Valley including "the chief part of Nubia with Abyssinia..." Large, detailed representations, elegant and crisply engraved. W.G. Blackie Unmounted Coloured 500x340 12  SOLD AF 044 1882 North Africa - Morocco, Algiers, Tunis. Crisp engraving, pretty colouring, well informed. E. Weller Unmounted Coloured 500x340 10 AF 074 1895 Africa - the whole continent coloured to show the European possessions. This is a bewildering tablecloth of states that few today have heard of. In particular the division of the area containing Abyssinia and Somalia is very enlightening as is also the myriad of tribal kingdoms in West Africa. One original fold. Clean, handsome and fascinating.  Times Atlas Unmounted Coloured 520x410 25  AF 076 1895 Africa, North-East - Egypt, Sudan, Abyssinia, Somalia etc but also showing Arabia in great detail. Crisply engraved, softly coloured for maximum readability this is fine large map for small money. Times Atlas Unmounted Coloured 410x520 17 AF 080 1895 Egypt - finely engraved and painstaking accurate map of Egypt together with Nubia down to Khartum. Times Atlas Unmounted Coloured 270x410 10 AF 073 1895 South Africa  - to the Limpopo and showing parts of Bechuanaland, Great Namaqualand and Gasa Country.  Clean and immensely informative.  Times Atlas Unmounted Coloured 370x265 15 AF 069 1898 Africa, Central Africa -a fine coloured map from the Times Atlas. Shows the whole of East Africa across to Kamerun and the Congos on the West. One original fold. Handsome historical map. Bartholomew Unmounted Coloured 412x320 22 AF 039 1898 Egypt, Arabia and Lower Nubia. Fairly plain well drawn map on quality paper. Extensive detail. Perfect item. A & C. Black Unmounted Coloured 280x370 10 AF 040 1898 North Africa. Algeria, Morocco & Tunis. Fairly plain well drawn map on quality paper. Extensive detail. Without blemish. A & C. Black Unmounted Coloured 370x280 8 AF 078 1907 Africa - large old map of the colonial era and whilst the Sudan was under Anglo-Egyptian Geo. Bacon Unmounted Coloured 340x520 25 AF 079 1908 Africa - a large map showing basic political divisions. Geo. Philip for the London Geographical Institute Unmounted Coloured 400x520 12 AF 010 1920 Central & Southern Africa - Cape to Anglo-Egyptian Sudan Times Unmounted Coloured 590x460 9 AF 011 1920 Central Africa Eastern Section - Lake Rudolph to Salisbury, Elizabethville to Mombasa. Times Unmounted Coloured 590x460 7 AF 016 1920 Egypt and the Nile, with nice insets of Alexandria etc. This moderately old map pre-dates the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb! Extends down into Abyssinia and includes the whole coast of Arabia. Times Unmounted Coloured 590x460 7 SOLD AF 015 1920 North Africa on a large scale indeed - basically the Sahara, Rio de Oro, Morocco and Tunis. That was an awful lot of desert. Times Unmounted Coloured 460x590 5 AF 007 1920 South Africa, the Eastern section, Transvaal, Natal, Basutoland, Swaziland etc. with insets of Durban and Port Elizabeth (showing the Test Cricket Grounds) Times Unmounted Coloured 590x460 9 AF 008 1920 South Africa, the Western Section with an inset of Table Bay and a town plan of Cape Town. Extends up to Walfish Bay Times Unmounted Coloured 590x460 7 AF 035 1906 West Africa. A fine political map of the area at almost the climax of European colonization - the most interesting period. Includes insets of Mauritius ( !), Ascension, St. Helena. Large map with massive amount of detail. George Philip Unmounted Coloured 480x375 5 AF 014 1920 West Africa from Lat.20 down to Port Harcourt, an astonishing catalogue of knowledge. Times Unmounted Coloured 460x590 7 110