Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 15

Antique Two-Sheet Map of the Lesser Sunda Islands, Dutch East Indies - 1884

$406.86per set
£303.88per set
€340per set
CA$560.52per set
A$610.87per set
CHF 323.48per set
MX$7,337.19per set
NOK 4,095.36per set
SEK 3,765.28per set
DKK 2,590.21per set

About the Item

Antique Two-Sheet Map of the Lesser Sunda Islands by Dornseiffen, Dutch East Indies, 1884 This impressive two-sheet antique map set depicts the Lesser Sunda Islands (De Kleine Soenda-Eilanden), covering Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba, Timor, and surrounding island groups in the eastern Dutch East Indies. Issued as part of the official late-19th-century colonial survey series, this authoritative cartographic work was designed by J. Dornseiffen and published in Amsterdam by Seyffardt’s Boekhandel in 1884. Together, the two sheets form a complete and highly precise scientific representation of this strategically vital island chain between Java, the Moluccas, and Australia. The left sheet shows Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, and Sumba with exceptional coastal precision, while the right sheet continues eastward with Timor and adjacent islands extending into the Timor Sea. Mountain systems are rendered in shaded relief, coastlines are sharply engraved, and countless rivers, settlements, anchorages, and inland routes reflect the depth of Dutch administrative surveying by the late 1800s. Original hand coloring clearly distinguishes colonial divisions and coastal outlines, enhancing both geographic clarity and decorative appeal. Historically, the Lesser Sunda Islands formed a crucial transitional zone between the Indonesian core islands and the outer Pacific frontier. They played an important role in Dutch maritime control, regional trade networks, missionary activity, and military logistics. By 1884, when Dornseiffen produced these maps, Dutch authority had become fully territorial and bureaucratic, replacing earlier VOC-era coastal dominance. This two-sheet set perfectly documents that phase of modern colonial governance through precise inland mapping and fixed administrative borders. Visually, the paired sheets create a beautifully balanced wide-format wall presentation. The restrained pastel hand coloring, fine engraving, expansive sea spaces, and rhythmic progression of islands across both sheets give the set strong visual harmony. Displayed together, the maps function both as serious historical documents and as refined decorative works for libraries, studies, boardrooms, and curated contemporary interiors. Complete two-sheet colonial map sets of the Lesser Sunda Islands in such condition are increasingly scarce on the market. This set is especially desirable for collectors of Indonesian cartography, Dutch East Indies history, maritime exploration, and 19th-century scientific mapping. It also pairs seamlessly with Dornseiffen’s companion sheets of Celebes, the Moluccas, and New Guinea for a cohesive high-level wall installation of the eastern archipelago. Condition report: Good antique condition. Light overall age toning consistent with 19th-century paper. Scattered foxing visible, mainly in the open sea areas and margins. Clear plate impressions visible on both sheets. Full margins preserved. No major tears or losses observed. Framing tips: These sheets are ideally framed as a matched horizontal diptych with wide off-white or warm ivory mats and identical dark walnut, black lacquer, or antique gilt frames. Museum glass is recommended for UV protection and optimal presentation of the hand coloring. Ideal placement above a sofa, long desk, or credenza. Technique: Hand-colored lithographs Maker: J. Dornseiffen, Amsterdam, 1884 (published by Seyffardt’s Boekhandel)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 19.1 in (48.5 cm)Width: 15.36 in (39 cm)Depth: 0.01 in (0.2 mm)
  • Sold As:
    Set of 2
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1884
  • Condition:
    Condition report: Good antique condition. Light overall age toning consistent with 19th-century paper. Scattered foxing visible, mainly in the open sea areas and margins. Clear plate impressions visible on both sheets. Full margins preserved.
  • Seller Location:
    Langweer, NL
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: BG-14172-13A, 13B1stDibs: LU3054347872952

More From This Seller

View All
Antique Two-Sheet Map of Celebes Sulawesi - Dornseiffen, Dutch East Indies, 1884
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique Two-Sheet Map of Celebes Sulawesi by Dornseiffen, Published in 1884 - Dutch East Indies This striking two-sheet antique map set depicts the island of Celebes (modern Sulawes...
Category

Antique 1880s Dutch Maps

Materials

Paper

An Impressive Four-Sheet Map Set of Sumatra from the Dutch East Indies, 1884
Located in Langweer, NL
Four Matching Antique Maps Revealing the Full Coastline of Sumatra This impressive four-sheet map set presents a complete late 19th century cartographic survey of the island of Suma...
Category

Antique 1880s Dutch Maps

Materials

Paper

Netherlands East Indies Map with Java Inset – Nieuwe Hand-Atlas, 1876
Located in Langweer, NL
Netherlands East Indies Map with Java Inset – Nieuwe Hand-Atlas, 1876 This impressive 19th-century map titled “Nederlandsch Oost-Indië” presents the Dutch colonial territories in Southeast Asia with exceptional clarity and detail. Published in 1876 in the *Nieuwe Hand-Atlas der Aarde in haren Tegenwoordigen Toestand* by M. Frijlink, revised by A. van Otterloo, and produced by D. Noothoven van Goor in Leiden, the plate offers a full geographical overview of the Netherlands East Indies at a time when Dutch influence in the archipelago was rapidly consolidating. The map spans Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Celebes (Sulawesi), the Moluccas, Timor, Bali, Lombok, Flores, Sumba, Sumbawa, the Banda Islands, Buru, Ceram, New Guinea, and parts of the Malay Peninsula. Each island group is precisely engraved, and political divisions, residency boundaries, mountains, rivers, and transport routes are clearly marked. Place names appear in their 19th-century Dutch forms—Batavia, Buitenzorg, Soerakarta, Madura, Makassar, Padang, Palembang, and many others—providing an important historical reference for scholars of Indonesian colonial history. Hand-colored outlines distinguish administrative regions and residencies, while the fine line engraving captures coastal contours, mountain chains, river deltas and volcanic features that shaped the archipelago’s geography. Java receives its own large inset occupying the entire lower half of the sheet, reflecting its central importance to Dutch colonial administration and its dense network of cities, roads, sugar plantations, and regencies. Additional inset maps include: • **Sumatra’s west coast**, showing Padang and the Minangkabau highlands • **Timor and surrounding islands** • **Ambon and the Moluccas** (the historic spice islands) • **Celebes and the Gulf of Tomini** • **The Lesser Sunda Islands** (Bali to Timor) • **Borneo residency divisions** • **Detailed harbour plans**, including Batavia and Makassar Together these elements make the map an outstanding reference for the Dutch East Indies during the late colonial period. It represents not just geography but also trade networks, maritime routes, and administrative structure, all rendered with the elegance and scientific precision characteristic of Dutch cartography of the era. Condition Report: Good, with expected light toning and occasional foxing, mostly at the margins. Original center fold as issued. The engraved image is sharp and the hand-coloring remains soft and even. No tears, holes, or repairs. Framing Tips: A warm ivory or cream mat suits the soft 19th-century color palette. A dark wood, black, or teak-tone frame complements Southeast Asian interior themes and gives the map a strong presence. Because of the many attractive inset maps, a slightly wider mat enhances readability and visual balance. Keywords: Netherlands East Indies, Dutch East Indies, Indonesia, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Kalimantan, Celebes, Sulawesi, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Timor, Moluccas, Spice Islands, Ambon, Banda, Ceram, Buru, Aceh, Minangkabau, Padang, Palembang, Batavia, Jakarta, Buitenzorg, Bogor, Soerakarta, Surakarta, Jogjakarta, Makassar, Menado, Kupang, Riau, Malay Peninsula, New Guinea, Papua, colonial Indonesia, VOC history, 19th century Indonesia map...
Category

Antique 1870s Dutch Maps

Materials

Paper

Antique Map of the East Indies by Van der Aa 1849
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique map titled 'Kaart van Nederlands OostIndie door A.J. van der Aa'. Old map of the Dutch East Indies. This map originates from 'Nederlands Oost-Indië, of beschrijving der Neder...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Maps

Materials

Paper

Antique Map of Ceram, Ambon, Banda, Buru, Moluccas by Dornseiffen - 1884
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique Map of Ceram Ambon Banda Buru Moluccas Dornseiffen 1884 This finely detailed antique map depicts the central Moluccan Islands, focusing on Ceram (Seram), Buru, Ambon, and th...
Category

Antique 1880s Dutch Maps

Materials

Paper

Antique Map of the Dutch East Indies by Van den Bosch 1818
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique map titled 'Kaart der Nederlandsche Bezittingen in Oost-Indiën'. Rare and attractive map of the Dutch East Indies, it shows the Dutch possessions in the 19th century. This ...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Maps

Materials

Paper

You May Also Like

Large Original Antique Map of The Canary Islands. 1894
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Superb Antique map of The Canary Islands Published Edward Stanford, Charing Cross, London 1894 Original colour Good condition Unframed. Free shipping
Category

Antique 1890s English Maps

Materials

Paper

Large Original Antique Map of Java and Borneo, Fullarton, C.1870
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great map of Java and Borneo Wonderful figurative borders From the celebrated Royal Illustrated Atlas Lithograph. Original color. Published by Fullarton, Edinburgh. C.1870 Unfr...
Category

Antique 1870s Scottish Maps

Materials

Paper

Large Original Antique Map of The Leeward Islands. 1894
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Superb Antique map of The Leeward Islands Published Edward Stanford, Charing Cross, London 1894 Original colour Good condition Unframed. Free shipping
Category

Antique 1890s English Maps

Materials

Paper

Original Antique Map of South East Asia by Thomas Clerk, 1817
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great map of South East Asia Copper-plate engraving Drawn and engraved by Thomas Clerk, Edinburgh. Published by Mackenzie And Dent, 1817 Unframed.
Category

Antique 1810s English Maps

Materials

Paper

Large Original Antique Map of the The Windward Islands. 1894
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Superb Antique map of The Windward Islands Published Edward Stanford, Charing Cross, London 1894 Original colour Good condition Unframed. Free shipping
Category

Antique 1890s English Maps

Materials

Paper

Large Original Vintage Map of The Pacific Islands Including Hawaii
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great map of The Pacific Islands Unframed Original color By John Bartholomew and Co. Edinburgh Geographical Institute Published, circa 1...
Category

Vintage 1920s British Maps

Materials

Paper