Polynesia

Rare Antique Maps of Polynesia

Rare maps of Polynesia represent some of the earliest European attempts to chart the vast island groups of the central and eastern Pacific. Produced primarily from the 16th through the early 19th centuries, these maps record islands that were often newly encountered, imperfectly located or only partially understood.

Cartographers such as Ortelius, Mercator, Blaeu and later French and British mapmakers incorporated information from exploration voyages, missionary reports and naval surveys. The voyages of explorers including Abel Tasman, James Cook and French expeditions under Bougainville and d’Urville played a crucial role in refining the mapping of Polynesia, including Tahiti, Hawaii, Samoa and other island groups.

Rare Polynesian maps are particularly valued for their scarcity, early states and transitional geography, often showing speculative coastlines, variant island names or shifting positions. These works provide important insight into the history of Pacific exploration and remain highly sought after by collectors and institutions.