Reproductions of antique maps, plans and panoramic views fascinate and delight the eye, whether you're an artist, historian, planner, cartographer, geographer or just someone who loves maps.
Historic Urban Plans, Inc. was established in 1964 to sell reproductions of antique world maps, city plans, sea charts and birds-eye views. Originals of these images – when available – are expensive and often unavailable to the private collector. Initially the maps in our catalog were reproduced from originals in the private collection of the company’s first owner, John W. Reps.
The current owner, Prof. Michael A. Tomlan, continues to offer an array of maps and views, working wih collections from museums, historical societies and art galleries to publish cartographically important maps that are informative, educational and decorative. Our goal is to make the widest possible variety of maps, plans and views available at a price affordable to the new collector, educator and dedicated student of history, art and cartography.
Enter our online catalog to see the range of our offerings — city plans and panoramas, world and regional maps, sailing charts, landscapes, street scenes — and to place an order. Welcome!
This Bohemian center was originally two castles and their respective towns on either side of the Vltava River. Schedel shows the medieval city connected by bridges and expanded into the surrounding valleys.
Schedel centers this view on St. Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace, the most highly identifiable buildings of this city-state.
Located on both sides of the Salzach River, the city began as a Celtic settlement and later became a noted Roman town.
27 May 2013
The world, and business, of maps is changing so quickly that it’s difficult to keep up with who’s on top: Google, Apple or an up-and-coming-company about to burst upon the scene. For those of us who grew up reading folded maps from the gas station, these new map apps and other cartographic products are something unprecedented: user-centered. They create a map that allows you to walk comfortably in a strange city and find a 3 star rated Thai restaurant – all without getting lost or consulting a concierge. In the days when even the printing press was new, however, Hartman Schedel’s Liber Cronicarum (Book of Chronicles) of 1493 was centered on the author’s view of the most important events to affect the Western world, beginning with the Creation. The influence of Schedel’s work was enormous, both as an accounting of human events and recounting of the Bible. Schedel’s collection of geographical information (“Addenda”) in the world history section of the Cronicarum is especially interesting for those of us who are cartographically inclined, integrating images of major cities with descriptive text. Historic Urban Plans has reproduced seven of Schedel’s woodcut city views: Constantinople, Florence, Prague, Rome, Salzburg, Venice and Vienna. This selection represents only a portion of the 30 plus cities, provinces, countries and kingdoms illustrated in the Cronicarum but each is a faithful facsimile from the Latin edition of this rare and important work. Price: $27.50 each
