Bibliophile Peeter Tulviste - Map collection

Peeter Tulviste’s bibliophilic interests included old maps, which he acquired from European antique shops and book auctions in Estonia. Several map rolls still contain purchase receipts, some amounting to 500 euros. While there are certainly people in Estonia with larger and more systematically curated map collections, Tulviste’s interest in maps primarily reflected his broad horizons and deep cultural perception.

His collection includes general maps of the Baltic Sea region from the 17th and 18th centuries and maps specifically depicting Estonia. He was particularly fascinated by the eastern border of Estonia. The collection contains several Soviet-era military maps, classified at the time, and other related materials. It is estimated to include at least 60 maps, around a quarter of which are featured in the exhibition.

As for historical maps, questions often arise about their rarity and value. There are probably no globally unique maps in Tulviste’s collection, but this does not diminish its historical and cultural significance. Most maps are from the 18th century, when maps of Estonia and its surrounding areas were published elsewhere in Europe, and not very often. The maps in Tulviste’s collection cover the wider Baltic Sea region or Northern Europe, with the Estonian territory in a larger geographical context. Many maps can also be found in larger Estonian libraries, particularly the University of Tartu Library and the National Library of Estonia.

Today, many historical maps have been digitised, and most of the maps in Tulviste’s collection are available in various digital map repositories. However, the collection does contain a few maps not held by Estonia’s memory institutions. For example, the map by Nicolas de Fer from 1705, which depicts the southern part of the Baltic Sea and areas that are now in Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands. A gem of the collection is the map of Livonia by the world-renowned cartographer Gerardus Mercator (1512–1594). Mercator’s map depicting the territory of Estonia was first published in 1595, shortly after the cartographer’s death. The copy in Tulviste’s collection dates from 1619, when Mercator’s legacy had passed to another famous cartographer, Jodocus Hondius (1563–1612). In the early 17th century, Hondius and his sons published several new editions of Mercator’s maps.

Tulviste was also interested in maps of Estonia, especially those of the border areas at Narva and Setomaa. One notable example is a map of Pechory county from 1922, which was prepared based on a Russian three-verst map, initially published in the mid-19th century. Although more than fifty years had passed since the publication of the original map, it remained the only available topographic base map at the time. After the War of Independence, the young Republic of Estonia urgently needed the map of the newly established Pechory county, and thus, the map was published in early 1922. Several copies of this map have been preserved in the memory institutions of Estonia. Tulviste’s collection contains the second, four-colour edition of the map, which shows the new division of parishes. It was probably published in the second half of 1922. Only one known copy of the second edition is held in a public collection, the Estonian National Archives. However, other copies are likely to exist in private collections.

The maps of Estonia include a noteworthy map of the city of Narva, from Sweden. It depicts the victory of King Charles XII of Sweden at Narva at the beginning of the Great Northern War in 1700. This map is not available in any memory institutions of Estonia, but can be acquired from European antique shops, typically for under 1,000 euros.

Taavi Pae, Tiina Kruup

Find out more about the exhibition here.