£35.55 – £59.95Price range: £35.55 through £59.95
Kerry Lee’s pictorial map of Birmingham, 1940
The Heart of Birmingham: Second City of England combines a street plan with illustrated landmarks, civic buildings and references to the city’s industrial and cultural life. The Cathedral Church of St Philip and many smaller details reward a closer look.
A distinctive fine art reproduction for Birmingham history and map collectors; supplied unframed.
A stunning certified FINE ART PRINT on heavy textured art paper — not a poster
Size
Unlike most online offerings, our maps are produced entirely in-house, not outsourced to print-on-demand or drop-shipping services. This allows complete control over quality while offering better value. Each map begins with a high-resolution original, carefully enhanced and printed to order using archival papers and pigment inks for exceptional clarity, depth, and longevity. Every piece is personally overseen — no map leaves our workshop unless it is of a quality we would be proud to display ourselves.
Paper choice is essential to the authenticity of our maps. We use specially sourced 190gsm paper made in the UK from pure materials and traditionally pressed with natural woollen felts. This process creates a subtle, randomly textured surface that closely resembles an original antique document. Likewise the use of premium quality ink fully saturates the paper, producing remarkable clarity, depth, and historical character. Colour fastness and sharpness will remain good for in excess of 100 years!
The Old Map Company of Great Britain offers a vast and carefully curated collection of the very finest expertly reproduced vintage maps. Our range includes works by renowned cartographers such as John Speed and Willem Blaeu, covering Scotland, England, and beyond. Free UK courier delivery is included, with EU, USA, and worldwide shipping available at cost and calculated at checkout. If you need assistance, our team is always happy to help you choose the perfect map.
Speedy delivery A beautiful representation
Got there in time and loves it! Cheers David [Gift from US to UK]
Thanks Lauren. We received it today - it's gorgeous! Thank you, Ellan
Thank you for your prompt service. I have a gallery and framing business in South Wales. I'm so pleased it is printed in the UK
My Isles of Scilly map arrived safely and I'm delighted with it!
The print arrived safely and we're delighted with it - a lovely reminder of our honeymoon 15 years ago.
I have just received them! I'm sure our clients will be pleased with them and there could be more projects off the back of this one where we can use more. [Interior Designers]
I just received my map of Ireland by Ewart today and, as usual, I am delighted by its quality. The crispness and fineness of detail is excellent and the colour reproduction surpasses my expectations. Please relay my thanks to Steve for another fine effort!
Many thanks, Lauren. Very pleased with the map and the service: would recommend The Old Map Company to anyone interested in Old Maps.
Many thanks, the map arrived safely this morning, and I’m really pleased with it. A stunning reproduction, just as I had hoped. I will keep browsing your website, and may yet be tempted by more of your items! Have a great weekend.
Just arrived, wonderful map! Thanks very much!
The map – beautiful – arrived safely, very many thanks.
Thank you, I have already found the map. It’s wonderfull! Good luck! Rasa
My apologies for the very late reply. I wanted to reach out to thank you so much for rushing my order. My partner absolutely loved it. I am amazed with the service so that is a five-star from me. I wish you all the best.
Kerry Lee’s pictorial map presents Birmingham as a city of industry, invention and civic life. Published in 1940, it combines a street plan with small illustrations and historical references, turning the city itself into the subject of a lively visual portrait. The result is designed for exploration: the viewer can follow the streets while pausing over the people, buildings and activities drawn across them.
The Cathedral Church of St Philip and other landmarks provide points of orientation within the plan. Industrial scenes, canals and references to local institutions reflect the city’s manufacturing heritage and public life. Small visual details reward close looking, while the street layout keeps the composition grounded in Birmingham’s geography.
Pictorial maps like this one occupy a space between cartography and illustration. Lee’s sheet records the city through a mid-twentieth-century lens, mixing practical location with civic pride and historical storytelling. It offers both a colourful view of Birmingham and a snapshot of how the city chose to represent itself in 1940.