[Maps of Islands in the Mediterranean]

Abraham Ortelius.
Insularum Aliquot Maris Mediterranei Descriptio.

Antwerp, 1587. 360 x 470mm. Coloured.
The islands are: Malta, Sardinia, Sicily, Elba and Djerba, off North Africa. Koeman: Ort 22.
ORTE0071

[Map of the eastern Mediterranean charting the course of the Argonauts]

Johannes Jansson.
Argonautica.

Amsterdam, c.1677. 380 x 505mm. Coloured.
The Eastern Mediterranean, marking the course of Jason and the Argonauts to Colchis in the Black Sea. With three inset maps: Europe, Magnesia, and the Sea of Marmara. Engraved by Pieter van den Keere for the Jansson's atlas of the Ancient World, his signature gives his age as 74!
JANS0091

[Gibraltar, Malta & Gozo, Corfu depicted]

John Tallis.
British Possessions in the Mediterranean.

London: London Printing and Publishing Company, 1861. Steel-engraving, original outline colour. 355 x 250mm.
Map of Gibraltar, Malta & Gozo, Corfu, and other Greek islands, with engraved vignettes including views of Valletta and Corfu.
TALL0041

[The Straits of Gibraltar]

Georg Matthaus Seutter.
Accurata Designatio Celebris Freti prope Andalusiæ Castellum Gibraltar, inter in Europam et Africam...

Augsburg, c.1730. 505 x 590mm. Original colour,
A superbly decorative map of Straits of Gibraltar, outlining the defences of the British fortress. Under the map are prospects of the fortress, Cadiz and Malaga, and insets plans of Minorca (also held by the British) and the Spanish fortress of Ceuta (the other 'Pillar of Hercules'). The map also has a splendid martial-themed title cartouche.
SEUT0020

[Chart of the Strait of Gibraltar in 1756]

Homann Heirs.
Carte Topographique des Pays et Côtes Maritimes Qui forment le Détroit de Gibraltar.

Nuremberg, 1756. 480 x 560mm. Coloured.
Chart of the Strait of Gibraltar, orientated with north to the bottom of the map, with tables to help mariners cope with the strong tidal forces. Published during the Seven Years' War, the British garrison at Gibraltar is not the focal point of the chart, but the Strait as a route to Minorca. The island's harbour, Mahon, which was a vital shelter for the British Navy, and in the year of publication of this chart the French laid seige to and took the island. An inset shows the routes of the English and French navies to the Balearics.
HOMA1034

[Gibraltar]

Tobias Conrad Lotter.
Castellum Gibraltar...

Augsburg, c.1770. 490 x 590mm. Original body colour.
Two maps on one sheet: a map of Gibraltar up to the Spanish lines; and a map of the Straits of Gibraltar with Cadiz and Marbella.
LOTT0009

[Plan of Valletta]

Joseph Roux.
Plan du Port de Malte.

Paris, 1779. 140 x 200mm.
Chart of the harbour of Valletta, with depths marked, published in Roux's 'Plans et Rades de la Méditerraneé'.
ROUX0002

[A Famous View of Valletta]

J.M.W. Turner,
Malta.

London, c.1840. Steel engraving. Printed area 110 x 140mm.
A prospect of Valletta by one of England's best landscape painters, engraved by B. Finden. The original watercolour, the only known Malta subject by Turner, is now in the National Museum of Fine Arts in Malta, where it is regarded as one of the highlights of its C19th paintings collection.
TURN0003

[A fine prospect of Valletta in Malta]

Anonymous.
Malta - Città Valletta.

Italian, c.1847. Lithograph with fine original colour. Printed area 165 x 250mm.
Showing the defences of the harbour.
ANON0022