Nº. 1: Erdkarte; In Mercators Projection is Heinrich Kiepert’s commanding world view at the close of the 19th century, created in 1889 and published by Dietrich Reimer in Berlin in 1891. The eminent German cartographer brings his trademark precision to a subject he knew intimately: a planet whose political borders and scientific conventions were in exhilarating flux. Kiepert introduces the globe with an elegant late‑Victorian cartouche and a disciplined, scholarly aesthetic that privileges clarity without sacrificing grandeur. As a world plate that opens his revised series, it distills decades of geographic knowledge into a single, authoritative statement—an intellectual panorama in which the continents and seas are ordered, compared, and set into dialogue under the exacting logic of Mercator’s projection.

Kiepert’s choice of the Mercator projection underscores navigational fidelity and coastal exactness, the enduring virtues that made this projection indispensable for mariners and maprooms alike. Relief is rendered through meticulous hachures, which model mountain systems with tactile subtlety while leaving river basins and plains strikingly legible. A dual prime-meridian scheme—marking both Paris and Greenwich—captures a transitional scientific moment, when global standardization was still being negotiated across academies and observatories. The graticule is finely judged, supporting an intricate network of place-names and routes without overwhelming the page, while major cities anchor regional geographies and illuminate the political hierarchy of a rapidly modernizing world.

Equally ambitious is Kiepert’s treatment of the seas: ocean currents are crisply differentiated, with solid lines tracing cold flows and hashed lines denoting warm streams, an oceanographic grammar that turns circulation into readable structure. On land, political boundaries are cleanly engraved, fixing the late‑century balance of power at a glance—European empires striding across Africa and Asia, consolidated nation‑states in Europe, the United States and the independent republics of the Americas, and the vast territorial spans of the Russian and Ottoman realms. This lucid overlay of physical and political cartography embodies Kiepert’s scholarly ambition: to show how mountains, rivers, and currents shape states and commerce, and how borders, in turn, reframe the world’s natural systems.

The physical geography is a masterclass in concision. Hachured relief brings the Andes and Himalaya into high, serried focus; the Alps, Rockies, and Atlas ranges spring forward with muscular clarity; great river systems—the Nile, Amazon, Mississippi, Yangtze—thread continents, while lakes punctuate interiors as strategic and ecological reservoirs. Coastlines are drawn with navigational intent, their intricacies mirrored in the offshore drift of currents. The hemispheres are global yet nuanced: North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia are all articulated with regional accuracy, while Antarctica appears in partial form—an honest record of contemporary knowledge at the frontier of exploration, where conjecture yielded cautiously to the era’s gathering empirical data.

As part of Kiepert’s revised edition of 45 maps, this world sheet condenses the state of knowledge to 1889 and signals the rigorous updates that made his work a touchstone for historians, geographers, and early ecological thinkers. It stands at the confluence of exploration and standardization: dual meridians reflect diplomatic astronomy; currents embody a maturing ocean science; political frontiers crystallize an age of empire and nationhood. The synthesis is unmistakably Kiepert’s—scholarly yet beautifully composed, authoritative yet alive to nuance—offering the discerning collector a document that is both a précis of its time and a perennial lens through which the world can be read.

Countries and regions on this map

• North America
• South America
• Europe
• Africa
• Asia
• Australia
• Antarctica (partial representation)
• Various notable regions within the continents, including major rivers and mountain ranges

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Ocean currents clearly depicted with solid lines for cold water currents and hashed lines for warm water currents
• Major cities identifiable for political and cultural significance
• Lakes and rivers shown in detail
• Mountain ranges with relief indicated through hachure
• Political boundaries defining country and territorial lines of the time
• Ornate cartouche reflecting late 19th-century cartographic style

Historical and design context

• Created by Heinrich Kiepert, a prominent 19th‑century cartographer noted for scholarly rigor and meticulous detail
• Dated 1889 and published by Dietrich Reimer in Berlin in 1891
• Uses the Mercator projection, emphasizing navigational accuracy and coastline representation
• Marks both Paris and Greenwich prime meridians, reflecting a transitional period of standardization
• Part of Kiepert’s revised edition of 45 folded maps, updating geographical knowledge up to 1889 and supporting historical and ecological studies

Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.

Detailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 70in (180cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

Please note: the labels on this map are hard to read if you order a map that is 16in (40cm) or smaller. The map is still very attractive, but if you would like to read the map easily, please buy a larger size.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.

Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.

With its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.