Founded in 2002, Old Maps is a specialist retailer of hand-coloured reproduction old map designs that hark back to bygone years. With detailed old map reproduction designs from leading cartographers John Speed and John Ogilby we have a range of options that provide the perfect gift for any historical enthusiast or cartographer.
John Ogilby, a noted old map cartographer whose tumultuous life cemented his ambitions to become a cartographer. Born into a wealthy family in 1600 his father subsequently lost the family fortune and was imprisoned for bankruptcy. The hardship that followed drove John to start his working career at a young age.
With high aspirations that would eventually drive him to designing a number of old map designs. Eventually setting in Cambridge Obilby became accomplished in both Latin and Greek and enjoyed many years of success, even winning favour of Charles the Second before tragedy struck once more when his home and all his worldly goods were destroyed by the great fire of London in 1666. This however turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he was asked to undertake the surveying of the city’s ruins and where his skills as an old map cartographer were born.
The success of his old map drawings of the city enabled John Ogilby to start his own printing company and allowed him to publish, amongst other books old map atlases of the world. In 1672 he began work on his masterpiece – Britannia, a road atlas of all the highways of England and Wales. This was the first old map of roads to be published in Europe and in doing so John Ogilby standardised the British mile to one thousand seven hundred and sixty yards.
For more information about this remarkable man, or to purchase reproduction examples of his work then come to our website at: www.oldmaps.co.uk.
An old map from oldmaps.co.uk is considered to be a highly sought after product due to its quality and affordability. We also have a veritable plethora of lovely historical maps which will appeal to everyone!