Our Collection of Old Maps

Discovering the Old Map Collection

A Landscape of Changing Knowledge

An old map is more than a record of location. It shows how an earlier generation understood distance, territory and the shape of the known world. Familiar coastlines may be drawn with surprising confidence while inland country remains sparse; county boundaries change, towns appear under old spellings and routes follow patterns that have long since vanished. Taken together, these details make historic maps rewarding both as works of art and as evidence of changing knowledge.

Maps for Places, People and Interests

The collection includes maps of individual counties and countries, broad national views, detailed plans of towns and cities, nautical charts and imaginative depictions of the heavens. Some customers begin with a birthplace, family name or much-loved destination. Others are drawn to a particular period, cartographer or decorative style. The range makes it possible to choose a map for its geographical meaning, its historical interest or simply its presence on the wall.

Cartography as Art

Early mapmakers combined practical information with engraving, calligraphy and ornament. Coats of arms, ships, sea creatures, compass roses, portraits and elaborate cartouches often share the page with rivers, roads and settlements. Later maps may be quieter and more measured, yet their typography, colouring and engraved detail give them a character of their own.

Fine Art Reproductions

Each design is prepared as a fine art reproduction rather than a mass-produced poster. Care is taken to retain the line work, colour and paper character of the source image, including the small irregularities that belong to an old printed map. The prints are supplied unframed, leaving you free to choose a frame and mount that suit both the artwork and its surroundings.