Winter/Spring Schedule

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• April 11, 2023 @ 5:30 PM (MT): Eliane Dotson: What’s My Map Worth? How to Value Antique Maps
  
  Most of us have maps, whether in drawers, framed on walls, or in our attics. Have you ever wondered what your maps are worth? Join guest speaker, Eliane Dotson, as she shares secrets of the trade on how to value antique maps. Learn the difference between various types of values, such as insurance appraisals, dealer prices, and auction estimates. Discover which key factors most affect the value of a map, including color, state/edition, published format, and condition. Learn where to find information on current and historical prices for maps and how to evaluate the validity of the data. Although valuing antique maps takes many years to master, this lecture will guide both new and experienced collectors to a better understanding of why some maps are worth more than others, and will offer a step-by-step process to value your own collection.
  
  Eliane Dotson is the owner of Old World Auctions, an auction house specializing in cartography. In her role, she researches, catalogs, and values around 2000 maps each year, and also writes a monthly newsletter on various topics related to antique maps. Eliane is a member of the RMMS, the past President of the Washington Map Society (WMS) and currently serves as Webmaster for WMS. She has an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia. Eliane's primary cartographic interest is maps by the Dutch masters from the 16th and 17th centuries, as they represent a combination of emerging cartography and artistic style, although she works with maps spanning the 15th to mid-20th centuries.
   

• Map May-hem 2023:

  • May 2: The Cartographic Roots of Colorado by Wes Brown​
    This presentation provides a history of the discovery and exploration of the place that became Colorado and how this information is revealed on maps of the interior-west from 1540 to 1861 (when Colorado became a Territory). The Natives, Spanish, French, Mexicans, American military explorers, and gold seekers each had a key role to play.

  • May 9: Unveiling of the Continent’s Spine: the discovery and mapping of the Rocky Mountains by Chris W. Lane
    As they began their settlement and exploration of North America, the Spaniards, Frenchmen and English had no real idea of what lay in the vast lands north of New Spain and west of New France and New England. There were many theories, but none that reflected the reality of the great north to south mountainous spine of the continent. This talk will examine the slow realization of this defining geographic feature of North America as reflected in period maps.

  • May 16: Drawing the Line: War, Treaty and Exploration by Steve Hoffenberg
    American expansionism in the 1840’s was punctuated by the annexation of Texas and war between Mexico and the United States.  Hostilities were settled by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that defined the vast and often poorly understood lands ceded to the US.  Attached to the treaty was Disturnell’s 1847 map of Mexico and the American West intended to detail an agreed-upon border. Errors in the map proved problematic in settling and marking the US -Mexican boundary that eventually required amendment of the original agreement.  This presentation will address a complex period in our history and focus on the cartography of the War, the Treaty and intense topographical explorations of the period.

  • May 30: Early Maps of Denver by Tom Overton
    This lecture will examine the first maps of Denver, from 1859 to 1860, including the hitherto underappreciated Boyd map in the History Colorado archives. The talk will explore the people, culture and history behind these early maps.

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Our friend John Docktor has a wonderful list of all upcoming map events, not just in the USA, but across the pond as well. Please check it out!​

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