Top 8 Travel & Exploration Books from the 1500s–1700s
Few categories of rare books capture the imagination quite like antique exploration books from the Age of Discovery. These extraordinary volumes — stained by sea spray, annotated by scholars, and carried across unknown continents — are not merely collectibles. They are primary documents of human ambition, written at the exact moment the world was being remapped, renegotiated, and reimagined. For serious collectors and historians, owning one of these titles is to hold a piece of civilization's most transformative era.
The market for antique exploration books has never been more competitive. Institutions, private collectors, and auction houses compete fiercely for titles that were once considered simply old, but are now recognized as irreplaceable cultural artifacts. In this guide, we walk you through the eight most sought-after travel and exploration books published between 1500 and 1700 — what makes them significant, what makes them rare, and why dedicated collectors pursue them across generations.
Why Exploration Books from This Era Are Among the Rarest Collectibles
The 16th and 17th centuries produced an explosion of printed travel narratives, yet survival rates for these volumes are shockingly low. Historians estimate that fewer than 3% of books printed before 1600 survive in any form today, and complete, unrestored copies represent a fraction of that already tiny number. Books of this period traveled with their owners, were consulted at sea, annotated in candlelight, and destroyed in fires, floods, and wars. That so many survive at all is remarkable; that some survive in fine condition is nothing short of miraculous.
The physical construction of these volumes adds to their allure. Printed on rag-based paper with hand-applied woodcut or engraved illustrations, many feature folding maps that were revolutionary documents in their own right. The convergence of cartography, narrative prose, and engraved portraiture in a single bound volume represents the full intellectual ambition of the Renaissance and early Baroque periods.
The 8 Most Sought-After Titles for Serious Collectors
Landmark Voyages That Defined the Genre
1. Richard Hakluyt's Principal Navigations (1589 & 1598–1600) — Hakluyt's monumental compilation of English voyage accounts is the cornerstone of Elizabethan exploration literature. The expanded three-volume second edition, published between 1598 and 1600, is particularly prized. Complete sets in original bindings have sold for well over $200,000 at major auction houses, with exceptional copies commanding significantly more.
2. Antonio Pigafetta's Primo Viaggio Intorno al Mondo (c. 1524) — The firsthand account of Magellan's circumnavigation of the globe is extraordinarily scarce in any early edition. Pigafetta sailed on the voyage himself, giving the narrative an immediacy and authority no subsequent account could replicate. Only four manuscript copies of the original Italian text are known to exist.
3. Amerigo Vespucci's Mundus Novus (1503–1504) — This slim pamphlet, in which Vespucci described South America as a "New World," triggered a publishing sensation across Europe. More than 40 editions appeared within two decades of first publication, yet early copies remain exceptional finds. It is from this text that the American continents ultimately received their name.
4. Theodor de Bry's Grand Voyages (1590–1634) — De Bry's multi-volume series is among the most visually spectacular publications of the era. Featuring detailed engraved illustrations of indigenous peoples, exotic landscapes, and naval encounters, the complete set of 13 parts in Latin is considered one of the supreme achievements of early modern publishing. A complete set sold at Christie's in 2019 for approximately $180,000.
5. Samuel Purchas's Hakluytus Posthumus, or Purchas His Pilgrimes (1625) — Purchas continued Hakluyt's work with four folio volumes covering voyages to Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The set includes one of the earliest printed accounts of travels in Japan and China and is an essential reference for historians of the early British Empire.
6. Jan Huyghen van Linschoten's Itinerario (1596) — Linschoten's account of his years in Portuguese India was the document that unlocked the spice trade routes for the Dutch and English. It is not an exaggeration to say this book changed the political economy of the world. First editions in Dutch are exceptionally rare; early English and German translations also carry significant collector value.
7. Walter Raleigh's The Discoverie of Guiana (1595) — Raleigh's breathless account of his search for El Dorado is one of the most readable exploration narratives of the Elizabethan age. It is also one of the more attainable titles on this list, with fine copies occasionally appearing on the market in the $30,000–$80,000 range, making it a realistic target for serious private collectors.
8. William Dampier's A New Voyage Round the World (1697) — Dampier's account of his buccaneering circumnavigation introduced the English reading public to the Pacific in entirely new terms. It later inspired both Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver's Travels, and its first edition remains a benchmark title in exploration collecting. Fine copies in original bindings have appeared at auction for upward of $50,000.
If you are beginning or deepening a collection in this field, we invite you to explore our collection of authenticated antique manuscripts, where carefully vetted examples from this extraordinary period appear regularly.
How to Evaluate and Authenticate Antique Exploration Books
Acquiring antique exploration books requires diligence, expertise, and access to reliable provenance documentation. Condition is paramount: collectors should examine paper quality, binding integrity, completeness of maps and plates, and any evidence of restoration or rebinding. A volume with all original plates intact is worth dramatically more than one with even a single missing leaf. Watermarks, typefaces, and printer's devices can all be used to distinguish first editions from later reprints and facsimiles, which proliferated in the 19th century and continue to mislead inexperienced buyers.
Authentication by a recognized specialist or institution — such as the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA) or the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) — provides meaningful assurance. Dealers affiliated with these organizations adhere to strict ethical standards and guarantee the authenticity of their descriptions. Provenance chains connecting a volume to known private libraries or historical collections add substantial value and peace of mind.
It is also worth noting that the global market for rare books and manuscripts has grown significantly in recent decades. According to the ABAA, the rare book market saw consistent year-over-year growth throughout the 2010s and early 2020s, reflecting broader recognition of these objects as both cultural heritage and sound long-term investments.
Start Your Collection at Antiqueparchments.com
Whether you are an established historian building a research library or a passionate collector acquiring your first significant piece, the world of antique exploration books offers rewards that no reproduction or digital archive can replicate. At antiqueparchments.com, we specialize in sourcing, authenticating, and presenting rare books and manuscripts of exactly this caliber. Every item in our inventory is carefully evaluated for condition, authenticity, and historical significance before being offered to our discerning clientele. We encourage you to browse our authenticated antique books today and discover which landmark of the Age of Discovery might find its permanent home on your shelf.