Today, the irresistible pull of these collectible antiques come from the intellectual puzzles offered by the early cartographers' calculated guesswork. Those who look are intrigued and will learn a thing or to as map makers tried to make a dent on maritime commerce and international maneuverings by shaving a few hundred square miles from this shoreline and adding it over there, omitting or adding a river, or turning a gulf into a sea lane.

Initiatives also for actually investing on maps are the prestige of owning something that could've been used by royalty, used in a certain historic event, or drawn by an eminent cartographer.

Other maps worth a second look are battle maps for history buffs, maps of heavenly constellations for stargazers, and even maps of wine growing regions!

1. Do read up on this interesting and oftentimes rewarding hobby. State university collections and libraries allow you to look and even handle maps.
2. If you are clueless about a possible buy, go to a cartographic expert at the nearest library or on the Net.

If You're Ready to Buy

1. Value - First of all, decorative maps from as early as the 1600s can be reliably bought for $100 to $200. 19th century maps, tolerating physical wear and tear, can be acquired for $15.
2. Color - Maps were often handcolored later, but a larger concern is that map color is not a reliable basis for dating a map. In the end, it is a matter of preference. For sticklers to etiquette, we know at least that in the UK, it is acceptable to have maps colored to your taste, but in the US, original color is best.
3. Condition - As we have seen, condition adds mystery to a map. But perhaps this is a lesser concern if we are dealing with a very rare map. In any case, you definitely have the last say how much atmosphere you want your maps to contain.
4. Buying framed maps - Extra caution and prudence is needed here. If it's an important purchase, insist that the map be taken out of its frame. Who knows what's lying beneath the, er, silver lining?
5. Rules for framing - Conservation-quality framing and acid free papers will help extend the life of your work of art. Glass must never rest on the artwork surface, lest foxing-brown stains from presence of fungus-appears.
6. Adhesives - Water soluble adhesives are no-no since they can stain.
7. Sunlight - Light, heat and humidity can mess up old paper quite easily. Make sure any of your works of art are never hit by sunlight.

I hope you enjoyed this newbie's foray into map collecting from a decorator's point of view. Are you keen for more information on antiques? How about antique furniture? If YES, please click here.

Hide your drapery tracks in a niche if you can, or camouflage them with a small cornice board.
Arrange your light switches in a vertical line to maximize the space for wall hangings. Talk your contract into no putting the thermostat in the middle of a wall.
Use solid colors for a sofa since a flowered dress wouldn't look good next to a patterned sofa. Design ought to bring out people and the art, rather than the furniture.
Dark floors (from a rosewood stain, for instance) finished with satin polyurethane have the waxed look sans maintenance problems.
Experiment with a pale yellow or aqua glaze over white walls for a soft glowing color. Use a rag or sponge to apply at least three layers of very diluted latex paint.