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In-demand Leo Belgicus maps are stars of leading antiques fair.

How Tefaf in Maastricht, the grande dame of art fairs, is hoping to seduce young buyers.

The young dealers committee of Tefaf is trying a novel way to encourage new collectors. “The fair is one generation old, and that generation is still very much involved. For the fair to evolve, it needs to attract more young dealers and young buyers,” says Daniel Crouch, one of the six members of the committee, which is in its second year and is chaired by Fabrizio Moretti, of Moretti Art Galleries. “We want to bring in more people who are familiar with our world and the diverse material we sell, but who don’t necessarily come to the fair. We realised that, with the increasing professionalisation of fundraising at museums and libraries, there is a resource that can be marshalled,” Crouch says.

Around 260 of the world’s best dealers are taking part in the 26th edition of TEFAF Maastricht. Apollo previews this year’s highlights.

When Daniel Crouch heads to The European Fine Art and Antiques Fair in Maastricht next month, he’s taking nine lions with him. Crouch is exhibiting, among other things, a collection of beautiful Leo Belgicus (Dutch Lion) maps dating from 1583. The maps document and celebrate significant points in the history of the Low Countries, made up of modern day France, northern Belgium and part of the Netherlands, and the whole collection of maps will be on sale for €350,000, with individual lion maps starting at €20,000.

Collectors and connoisseurs descending on TEFAF next month will not be disappointed, with objects of every time and place, from a Han bronze lamp to Gangnam Style.

Richard Hopton meets Daniel Crouch from the rarefied world of antiquarian atlas dealers.

The British Library and Daniel Crouch Rare Books are displaying an exhibition of Scottish Maps in the Drawing Room of the Caledonian Club, from 14^th January – 7^th February 2013.

Daniel Crouch had been dreaming of his own stand at The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) ever since he first attended the annual event ten years ago, as an employee of Shapero Rare Books in London. And so when he received the coveted invitation for his own Daniel Crouch Rare Books, barely a year old at the time, to exhibit in spring 2011, he knew exactly what to bring to the table.

Old atlases have often been cut up to make framed maps – but this has actually increased their rarity value.

For many people, the word map means simply google map which guides us to find a location. However according to map expert Daniel, maps have a long history. Maps are not only for finding locations, but they are also exceptional works of art and history.

The rivers that make their way beneath London’s streets to the Thames have an enduring fascination for many people. Since 1962 the classic work on the subject has been Nicholas Barton’s The Lost Rivers of London, which stood alone in its several editions until last year. Then, such is the synchronicity of publishing, it was joined by books by Paul Tilling, Tom Bolton and Stephen Myers. Myers, whose Walking on Water: London ‘s Hidden Rivers Revealed deals with seven northem watercours-es, is a professional water engineer and he has mapped them more precisely than ever before.