Old Map of the Balearic Islands
Old Map of the Balearic Islands by J. & C. Walker for the SDUK, 1831
A fine art reproduction of an antique Mediterranean map featuring Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The complete sheet also includes Corsica and Sardinia, together with a detailed plan of Valletta’s streets, harbours and fortifications.
Fine engraved terrain, coloured coastal outlines and historic place names. Supplied unframed.
A stunning certified FINE ART PRINT on heavy textured art paper — not a poster
- Direct from the publisher — no middlemen
- Printed in-house in Cornwall
- Free UK delivery — international shipping available
- Produced to meet — and often exceed — museum-quality standards
Size
Fine Art Map Reproductions – Museum-Quality Printing
Unlike most online offerings, our maps are produced entirely in-house, not outsourced to print-on-demand or drop-shipping services. This allows complete control over quality while offering better value. Each map begins with a high-resolution original, carefully enhanced and printed to order using archival papers and pigment inks for exceptional clarity, depth, and longevity. Every piece is personally overseen — no map leaves our workshop unless it is of a quality we would be proud to display ourselves.
Authentic Old Map Paper & Accurate Colour Reproduction
Paper choice is essential to the authenticity of our maps. We use specially sourced 190gsm paper made in the UK from pure materials and traditionally pressed with natural woollen felts. This process creates a subtle, randomly textured surface that closely resembles an original antique document. Likewise the use of premium quality ink fully saturates the paper, producing remarkable clarity, depth, and historical character. Colour fastness and sharpness will remain good for in excess of 100 years!
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This old map of the Balearic Islands forms part of a three-panel Mediterranean sheet published in London in 1831. Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera appear together at the upper left, with a detailed plan of Valletta below and a larger map of Corsica and Sardinia on the right. Fine engraved terrain and restrained coloured outlines link the separate panels across the warm-toned sheet.
Map Details
- Original sheet title: Corsica and Sardinia, with Balearic Islands (Las Baleares) and Valetta, the Capital of the Island of Malta
- Produced under: The Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (SDUK)
- Engravers: J. & C. Walker
- Publisher: Baldwin & Cradock, 47 Paternoster Row, London
- Publication date: 1 November 1831, as printed on the sheet
- Area shown: The Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia and Valletta’s harbours and fortifications
- Original form: Engraved map with coloured outlines; relief shown by hachures
Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera
Mallorca is labelled “Mallorca (Majorca)”, with Palma on its southwestern coast and Alcudia beside the northern bays. Closely drawn hachures describe the island’s hills, while smaller coastal names record headlands, anchorages and bays. Cabrera appears just south of the main island.
Menorca carries the alternative spelling “Minorca”, with Ciudadela at the western end and Puerto Mahon to the east. Ibiza is headed “Iviza (Ivica)”. Its map names San Antonio, Santa Eulalia and the salt pans at Salinas, with the smaller islands around its coast. Formentera lies below, accompanied by Espalmador and Espardell.
These older spellings give familiar holiday islands a different character. The yellow coastal outlines help distinguish the islands, while the fine lettering rewards close inspection.
Valletta’s fortified harbours
The lower-left panel changes scale completely, presenting Valletta as a fortified city between two harbours. Fort St. Elmo stands at the tip of its peninsula, and the gridded streets lead south towards Floriana and successive lines of defences. Across the water are the Castle of St. Angelo and the waterfront at Senglea.
The map labels the Custom House, marinas, a naval magazine and pratique offices, where shipping and health formalities were handled. Fort Manoel occupies a separate island in the quarantine harbour. A numbered key identifies civic buildings, including the Palace, Armoury, Library, Post Office, Church of St. John of Jerusalem and Theatre.
Corsica and Sardinia on the same sheet
Corsica occupies the upper half of the right-hand panel, with Sardinia below across the Strait of Bonifacio. Their coastlines are picked out in green and pink, and the dense engraved relief makes their mountainous interiors a prominent feature. Ajaccio and Bastia can be found on Corsica; Sassari and Cagliari are marked on Sardinia.
Elba and smaller islands appear towards the Italian coast at the top right. The title notes that mountain heights are expressed in yards, a detail of the sheet’s intended English readership.
This fine art reproduction includes the complete original sheet, with all three panels and the surrounding printed border. Supplied unframed.