About the item: An authentic, highly rare early 18th-century geographical map "Principatus Saganensis" (Duchy of Żagań) – an exceptional monument of German cartography, created as a copper engraving circa 1744 by the renowned Augsburg publisher and imperial geographer Matthäus Seutter. This specimen represents the extremely rare pocket edition "ATLAS MINOR", characterized by flawless contemporary watercolor coloring (Contemporary hand colour), wide margins, and detailed topographical rendering. The map has retained an excellent structure typical of collectible objects and is valued as an attractive investment and a representative historical document.
Technical information:
Overall dimensions: 29 cm x 22 cm
Origin: Germany (Augsburg)
Era/Period: 1400–1900 (specifically dating to the 1721–1750 period, printed circa 1744)
Author and Publisher: Matthäus Seutter (with the participation of the well-known geographer and engraver Conrad Lotter / C. Lotter)
Technique: Copper engraving on thick paper, hand-colored
Geographical specification: Poland, Czech Republic, Silesia, Lithuania, and Żagań
Condition: Very good / excellent – the paper structure is stable, with only minimal time-induced signs of age visible in the margins (such as very small spots or barely noticeable marginal halos), which are easily removed and have no impact on the overall aesthetic beauty or rarity of the piece.
Artistic and structural analysis: This map reflects the ornateness and informational density characteristic of Seutter's cartographic school. Integrated into the upper left corner is an expressive heraldic cartouche featuring Baroque elements, military regalia, a cannon, and a figure of a man in a military uniform, containing the full name of the duchy and the publisher's reference. On the right side, a large, comprehensive text panel in German and Latin (Erklärung / Explicatio) is engraved, explaining the territorial division of the duchy, adjacent lands, and geographical symbols. The original watercolor coloring (rich pink, yellow, green, and brown) harmoniously distinguishes the administrative boundaries of the Żagań surroundings, while the linear scale in German miles and a compass rose with a colored coat of arms integrated at the bottom provide additional visual balance to the composition.
Historical and geographical context: The map records in detail the territory of the Duchy of Żagań (German: Sagan, Polish: Żagań) and its surroundings, which is historically closely linked to the Silesian region and the borderlands of present-day Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany (the geographical specification notes a wider regional context encompassing Poland, the Czech Republic, Silesia, Lithuania, and Żagań). This edition of "Atlas Minor", appearing in 1744, was designed as a convenient, compact, yet incredibly precise guide for travelers, merchants, and military personnel of the time, utilizing the latest astronomical and topographical observations. The works of Matthäus Seutter (1678–1757) in Augsburg competed with the largest European publishing houses, and the exclusive title of "Imperial Geographer" granted to him by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI ensured the prestige of these maps across the continent.
Collectible and investment value: The value of this M. Seutter map in the antique cartography market is guaranteed by its rarity, determined specifically by the pocket-format nature of the "Atlas Minor" – these smaller, intensively used atlas sheets have survived to this day in full completion much less frequently than large folio formats. The fact that the sheet is preserved with wide original margins and vibrant, authentic contemporary coloring immediately elevates its market value. Small signs of time only confirm the object's age and do not compromise its visual appeal, making the piece fully ready for professional framing and exhibition. This valuable historical document will become an excellent highlight for systematic European map collections or a luxurious, intellectual interior accent in a private study or home library.
