Rare Old Post-Napoleonic Map of Germany by Carey, 1814: Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Rhine, Danube
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1814 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.
Restored in London • Printed and framed in the EU
Restored from the original 1814 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Gift message & custom finish
If you want to add a gift message, or a finish (jigsaw, aluminium board, etc.) that is not available here, please request it in the "order note" when you check out.
Every order is custom made, so if you need the size adjusted slightly, or printed on an unusual material, just let us know. We've done thousands of custom orders over the years, so there's (almost) nothing we can't manage.
You can also contact us before you order, if you prefer!
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Germany is the original title of Mathew Carey’s timely charting of a continent in flux, composed in 1814 as diplomats converged on...
Continue readingGermany is the original title of Mathew Carey’s timely charting of a continent in flux, composed in 1814 as diplomats converged on Vienna to remake Europe. With an ornate title cartouche, a simple, elegant block for the legend, and a precise scale bar, the map’s refined presentation frames a politically charged portrait. Color-washed boundaries crisply differentiate the German lands that, in the wake of Napoleon’s retreat and the Holy Roman Empire’s 1806 collapse, were coalescing into a looser federal arrangement. The effect is both aesthetic and analytical: a clear, measured delineation of emerging states and corridors, where rivers, mountain chains, and historic frontiers intertwine to foreshadow the German Confederation soon to be formalized.
Mathew Carey—Irish-born, Philadelphia-based publisher, cartographer, and economist—brought a characteristically transatlantic acuity to this work. Renowned for reading the political weather, he synthesized European sources and diplomatic rumor into maps that anticipated settlement before the ink dried. In Germany he distilled the near future: a post-Napoleonic order defined less by imperial hierarchy than by balance of power. Carey's hand-drawn boundaries are judicious rather than flamboyant, using color to clarify rather than to decorate, and they reveal his craft at the intersection of commerce, geopolitics, and pedagogy, transforming a shifting landscape into an intelligible, navigable whole.
At the heart of the composition stands the nascent German Confederation—thirty-nine states arranged in a cautious union that buffered France and recalibrated Central Europe. Dominant Prussian and Austrian territories anchor the north and south; Bavaria, Württemberg, Saxony, Baden, Hanover, and the Hessian lands knit the center into a patchwork of kingdoms, grand duchies, and principalities. Free cities such as Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Bremen gleam as commercial nodes, while Holstein—German in law though ruled by the Danish crown—marks the northern hinge to Scandinavia. Borders with France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the Habsburg Bohemian rim are shown with studied clarity, replacing Napoleonic departments and client states with restored, rebalanced sovereignties.
Physical geography is not backdrop but structure. Carey’s labels march along the Rhine, Elbe, Danube, Oder, and Weser, the arterial rivers that powered trade, taxation, and military movement. The Alps buttress the southern margin; the Harz and Thuringian Forest punctuate the center; the Black Forest and the Ore Mountains define cultural and economic basins as much as ridgelines. Where rivers meet roads, cities flower: Cologne along the Rhine’s middle course, Hamburg and Bremen astride North Sea commerce, Dresden on the Elbe’s bend. The map’s mountain hachures and river tracings underscore how nature steered dynastic ambition and how watersheds often foretold boundaries as surely as treaties.
Urban constellations animate the politics. Berlin, the Prussian capital, projects northern reach; Munich affirms Bavaria’s ascendant modernity; Dresden, rebuilt from war’s ruin, remains Saxony’s courtly heart. Frankfurt—free city and seat of the future Federal Assembly—symbolizes the confederation’s deliberative center, while Stuttgart commands Württemberg’s uplands. Hanover connects the German north to Britain’s royal orbit, a personal union that would end only decades later. Düsseldorf and Cologne hint at the industrial energies germinating along the Rhine-Ruhr, even as Hamburg and Bremen maintain Hanseatic liberties. In Carey’s hands, these annotated cities become more than labels—they are the strategic and cultural pivots of a Europe being carefully, and cautiously, rewoven.
Cities and towns on this map
- Berlin
- Hamburg
- Munich
- Cologne
- Frankfurt
- Stuttgart
- Düsseldorf
- Dresden
- Bremen
- Hanover
Notable Features & Landmarks
- Clear delineation of political borders using various colors.
- Labeling of major rivers and mountain ranges.
- Annotations for large cities and principal towns.
- Ornate title cartouche.
- Scale bar indicating distance measurements.
Historical and design context
- Date of Creation: 1814.
- Mapmaker/Publisher: Created by Mathew Carey.
- Interesting Context about Mapmaker: Mathew Carey was an American publisher, cartographer, and economist known for his maps that often reflected contemporary political climates.
- Extra Notes: This map depicts the German Confederation, established after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire at the Congress of Vienna in 1815.
- Topics and Themes Shown: The map highlights political boundaries and divisions within the German Confederation, showcasing the newly formed federal structure after the Holy Roman Empire's dissolution.
- Design/Style Context: The map features rich use of color and carefully hand-drawn boundaries, characteristic of early 19th-century cartography, along with a simple yet elegant title block.
- Historical Significance: It represents a turning point in European politics, illustrating the consolidation of German states into a federal structure and reflecting the political landscape post-Napoleonic Wars.
Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.
This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.
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.
The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.
The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.
If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.
Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.
This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.
This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.
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.
Germany is the original title of Mathew Carey’s timely charting of a continent in flux, composed in 1814 as diplomats converged on Vienna to remake Europe. With an ornate title cartouche, a simple, elegant block for the legend, and a precise scale bar, the map’s refined presentation frames a politically charged portrait. Color-washed boundaries crisply differentiate the German lands that, in the wake of Napoleon’s retreat and the Holy Roman Empire’s 1806 collapse, were coalescing into a looser federal arrangement. The effect is both aesthetic and analytical: a clear, measured delineation of emerging states and corridors, where rivers, mountain chains, and historic frontiers intertwine to foreshadow the German Confederation soon to be formalized.
Mathew Carey—Irish-born, Philadelphia-based publisher, cartographer, and economist—brought a characteristically transatlantic acuity to this work. Renowned for reading the political weather, he synthesized European sources and diplomatic rumor into maps that anticipated settlement before the ink dried. In Germany he distilled the near future: a post-Napoleonic order defined less by imperial hierarchy than by balance of power. Carey's hand-drawn boundaries are judicious rather than flamboyant, using color to clarify rather than to decorate, and they reveal his craft at the intersection of commerce, geopolitics, and pedagogy, transforming a shifting landscape into an intelligible, navigable whole.
At the heart of the composition stands the nascent German Confederation—thirty-nine states arranged in a cautious union that buffered France and recalibrated Central Europe. Dominant Prussian and Austrian territories anchor the north and south; Bavaria, Württemberg, Saxony, Baden, Hanover, and the Hessian lands knit the center into a patchwork of kingdoms, grand duchies, and principalities. Free cities such as Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Bremen gleam as commercial nodes, while Holstein—German in law though ruled by the Danish crown—marks the northern hinge to Scandinavia. Borders with France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the Habsburg Bohemian rim are shown with studied clarity, replacing Napoleonic departments and client states with restored, rebalanced sovereignties.
Physical geography is not backdrop but structure. Carey’s labels march along the Rhine, Elbe, Danube, Oder, and Weser, the arterial rivers that powered trade, taxation, and military movement. The Alps buttress the southern margin; the Harz and Thuringian Forest punctuate the center; the Black Forest and the Ore Mountains define cultural and economic basins as much as ridgelines. Where rivers meet roads, cities flower: Cologne along the Rhine’s middle course, Hamburg and Bremen astride North Sea commerce, Dresden on the Elbe’s bend. The map’s mountain hachures and river tracings underscore how nature steered dynastic ambition and how watersheds often foretold boundaries as surely as treaties.
Urban constellations animate the politics. Berlin, the Prussian capital, projects northern reach; Munich affirms Bavaria’s ascendant modernity; Dresden, rebuilt from war’s ruin, remains Saxony’s courtly heart. Frankfurt—free city and seat of the future Federal Assembly—symbolizes the confederation’s deliberative center, while Stuttgart commands Württemberg’s uplands. Hanover connects the German north to Britain’s royal orbit, a personal union that would end only decades later. Düsseldorf and Cologne hint at the industrial energies germinating along the Rhine-Ruhr, even as Hamburg and Bremen maintain Hanseatic liberties. In Carey’s hands, these annotated cities become more than labels—they are the strategic and cultural pivots of a Europe being carefully, and cautiously, rewoven.
Cities and towns on this map
- Berlin
- Hamburg
- Munich
- Cologne
- Frankfurt
- Stuttgart
- Düsseldorf
- Dresden
- Bremen
- Hanover
Notable Features & Landmarks
- Clear delineation of political borders using various colors.
- Labeling of major rivers and mountain ranges.
- Annotations for large cities and principal towns.
- Ornate title cartouche.
- Scale bar indicating distance measurements.
Historical and design context
- Date of Creation: 1814.
- Mapmaker/Publisher: Created by Mathew Carey.
- Interesting Context about Mapmaker: Mathew Carey was an American publisher, cartographer, and economist known for his maps that often reflected contemporary political climates.
- Extra Notes: This map depicts the German Confederation, established after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire at the Congress of Vienna in 1815.
- Topics and Themes Shown: The map highlights political boundaries and divisions within the German Confederation, showcasing the newly formed federal structure after the Holy Roman Empire's dissolution.
- Design/Style Context: The map features rich use of color and carefully hand-drawn boundaries, characteristic of early 19th-century cartography, along with a simple yet elegant title block.
- Historical Significance: It represents a turning point in European politics, illustrating the consolidation of German states into a federal structure and reflecting the political landscape post-Napoleonic Wars.
Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.
This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.
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.
The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.
The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.
If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.
Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.
This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.
This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.
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.
Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.
Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.
We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.
- We can deliver directly to the recipient
- Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
- Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
- Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
- 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide
If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.
Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.
We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.
Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.
Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.
Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.
If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.
Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.
Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.
Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.
We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.
Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.
Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.
All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.
We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.
If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.
Every Unique Maps piece begins with an authentic cartographic source or an original design from our London studio.
For our historic maps, we source rare originals from libraries, archives, auction houses and private collections around the world. We carefully restore each map for print—repairing age-related damage, balancing colour and improving clarity while preserving its original detail, texture and character.
Once restored, the map is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.
Our map prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks, creating a rich, non-glossy finish designed to last. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
Canvas, cotton-rag and other specialist presentations are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.
Personalising your map
You can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. For personalised designs, we send a proof before printing and you can request changes before approval.
For more complex bespoke commissions, contact our design team.
Original or Aged
Choose Original for true-to-source colour, or Aged for a warmer, richer antique character created with our specialist ageing process. See examples of our Aged maps.
We’ve been restoring and producing maps and art prints since 1984, and we stand behind every piece.
Every order is covered by our 10-year guarantee and damage-free delivery guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged, we’ll replace or remake it free of charge. If anything else isn’t right, contact our workshop team and we’ll put it right promptly.
See our returns and refund policy for full details.
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