Francesco Bacoccoli Collection - The Golden Era of Cartography: Part I

Crafoord Auktioner Stockholm has been entrusted with presenting a highly interesting collection assembled by one of our most legendary antique dealers and collectors – Francesco Bacoccoli. Everything began by chance in 1976, with a seemingly insignificant maiolica dish.
Francesco Bacoccoli stepped into an antiquarian bookshop on Birger Jarlsgatan in Stockholm. Books fascinated him – yet on this occasion, his attention was drawn to the dish. There was something about it that captivated him, something he could not quite explain. After some negotiation, he purchased it for 22 kronor. Shortly thereafter, he sold it on for 50,000 kronor. It turned out to be Italian, dating from the 16th century. The episode reveals two things: Francesco Bacoccoli had an eye for beauty and quality – and he dared to take risks.
In his hometown of Perugia in Italy, he had met Ann from Surahammar and later moved to Sweden to be with her.
Over four decades, Francesco Bacoccoli dealt in antiques across Europe and North America, becoming a legend within the trade, with access to the innermost circles of the leading auction houses. Everyone seems to have an anecdote about him. In the debut book A Sauna in Umbria, his son Tomas recounts the family’s move to Italy when Francesco fell ill. Francesco preferred anonymity, often behind sunglasses and a hat, yet possessed a boundless and impulsive personality that left a lasting impression.
“He did and said things that most people have only thought or dreamed of – and therefore many considered him a little mad,” writes Tomas Bacoccoli. “Eccentric, entertaining, and loud. A bon vivant with an inquisitive intellect. Full of emotion and with a big heart.”
Francesco Bacoccoli’s speciality was printed antique art. When Tomas went through his father’s estate, he discovered one treasure trove after another: books, engravings, maps and woodcuts of the highest quality – as well as furniture and paintings.
It is a fascinating collection that we now present with great pride.

The Golden Age of Cartography, Part I
The collection spans maps from four centuries. Among the earliest are examples from a mid-16th century edition of Sebastian Münster’s important work Cosmographia Universalis, spectacular city views from Braun and Hogenberg’s Civitates Orbis Terrarum, and beautifully hand-coloured maps by Ortelius from editions around 1600. The collection further includes works by Blaeu, Hondius, De Wit, Janssonius, Visscher, Seutter, De Vaugondy, Delisle, Lotter, Homann and many others.