My husband and I will be in Paris the week after Christmas. Does anyone know of a store that sells antique maps of Paris/France/Europe? This will keep him busy while I am shopping!
Thanks,
L

Scroll down to France;

http://www.maprecord.com/Dealers_Int...al.html#France

Antique maps of the different regions of France are some of the most ubiquitous things you'll find at flea (antiques) markets and book stands (such as the ones along the Seine).

Send him to the Clignancourt Market--he could get lost for days there.

The Paris City Libraries used to have a fantastic updated version of the Turgot map, a kind of "semi" 3D perspective map. I fear it's being discontinued now, but your husband may always ask a library ...

Are you wanting actual antique maps or reproduction of antique maps? You can find reproductions at most book stores.

The IGN store on rue la Boétie just off the Champs Elysées is map heaven.

I always thought those old maps sold by the bouquinistes were fake, but I never looked that closely. I googled and found they have a map fair in Paris every November, too bad you missed it. From prior posts on that website, it describes the best places in Paris to shop, most are in the 6th around rue de Seine, which is what I thought as I found some antique manuscript and letter dealers around there. This names a lot of them:

http://www.raremaps.com/maptrade/sept02/msg00018.html

They are fake, Christina, which makes it a reproduction.

Be sure if you purchase an antique map from a speciality dealer that it comes with a written guarantee of authenticity.

Thanks for the information- I hope we can add a map to our collection.
L

If you want older maps and you are shopping at places where you don't know the dealer's reputation, bring along a magnifying glass of some kind and look at the map closely. With fakes, you will see the tiny dot pattern of modern printing. It's not always visible to the casual glance, esp. in weak lighting. (A Brussels dealer in early 20th century posters gave us that suggestion.)

It's a reproduction when the seller clearly explains it's not an original map. It's a fake when he/she tries to pass if off as something old.

There is an antique map dealer in the Galerie Vivienne (at the entrance, near a famous restaurant called Le Grand Colbert).

Modern prints out of the original engraved plates are available at the Louvre (chalcographie), in particular of the famous Turgot Paris plan (circa 1730).