Large Kiepert Map of Asian, 1884

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1884 Kiepert Map of Asian Ottoman Provinces – Anatolia, Syria, Mesopotamia This remarkable mid-19th-century folding map is titled “Nouvelle Carte … Read more 1884 Kiepert Map of Asian Ottoman Provinces – Anatolia, Syria, Mesopotamia This remarkable mid-19th-century folding map is titled “Nouvelle Carte générale des Provinces Asiatiques de l’Empire Ottoman”, produced in a French-language edition by Heinrich Kiepert in Berlin, dated 1884. Kiepert was one of the foremost German cartographers of his era, and his maps of the Near East are celebrated for their clarity, up-to-date scholarship, and reliance on travel records and military surveys ([University of Chicago Library). The map vividly depicts the Asiatic provinces of the Ottoman Empire—Anatolia, Cyprus, Syria, Mesopotamia, Armenia, Kurdistan, and adjacent Persian borderlands. Key cities such as Constantinople, Smyrna, Aleppo, Damascus, Baghdad, and Mosul are finely marked. Detailed topographical features—mountains, rivers, deserts, and transportation routes—are meticulously drawn. Political divisions are neatly hand-colored, enriching the visual and historical value of the piece. Condition: Good. Dissected into panels and mounted on original linen as issued. Crisp hand-coloring remains, with some light age toning and minor wear at fold intersections, but sturdy paper and fully legible detail throughout. Framing Tips: This map is ideal for float-mounting to highlight the linen paneling and folds. A dark walnut or black frame with a subdued, sand-colored mat enhances contrast with the engraved detail and soft hand-coloring. Technique: Engraving with original hand color, dissected and linen-mounted. Maker: Heinrich Kiepert, Berlin, 1884 Collector’s Note: Large-format wall maps by Kiepert are far scarcer than atlas-sheet editions. They were intended for government, diplomatic, and educational use, and their survival in good condition is uncommon. Collectors particularly prize these oversized editions for their visual impact and historical authority in documenting the Ottoman Near East during the late 19th century. Heinrich Kiepert was renowned for producing scholarly and reliable cartography of the Ottoman Near East. His 1884 edition reflects updated geographical knowledge following late 19th-century explorations. See less