1908 Philips Picture Map of London - Pictorial Underground Map
Philip’s Picture Map of London - Exhibition Souvenir - One Shilling Net (1908)
Designed by George Philip & Sons, Published by Royal Geographical Institute. Measures 109cm x 58.5cm. Undated (1908). Colour lithograph folded as issued with card decorative covers in French and English. Condition: Bright and mostly unmarked. Covers intact. Most folds reinforced/repaired with archival tape on the verso.
This exceptionally rare pictorial map of London was sold to visitors at the Franco-British Exhibition of 1908. The map unfolds to reveal a huge and superbly drawn pictorial map of London in full colour, with the Exhibition shown in the top left corner at Shepherds Bush. What is particularly unusual is how the London Underground railways are shown on the map, in two colours representing the Metropolitan & District Railways (Red) and Electric Tube Railways (Blue). It was common to make this distinction between the lines as they represented different construction methods and were operated by separate companies. Whilst the Metropolitan and District were shallow ‘cut-and-cover’ railways built in the 1860s, the electric tube railways had all opened within 8 years of this map being produced (most between 1902-1908).
In 1907, George Philip & Sons were the first to design a unified underground system map, assigning each line with their own colour. The map was called the ‘Evening News Tube Map of London’.
The Franco-British Exhibition was a large public fair held at the Shepherd’s Bush exhibition ground between May-October 1908. It was held to celebrate the ‘Entente Cordiale’ signed in 1904 and was attended by over 8 million visits - most of whom would have reached the ground by the London Underground!
FREE UK DELIVERY. Non-UK Delivery available, please request a quotation
Philip’s Picture Map of London - Exhibition Souvenir - One Shilling Net (1908)
Designed by George Philip & Sons, Published by Royal Geographical Institute. Measures 109cm x 58.5cm. Undated (1908). Colour lithograph folded as issued with card decorative covers in French and English. Condition: Bright and mostly unmarked. Covers intact. Most folds reinforced/repaired with archival tape on the verso.
This exceptionally rare pictorial map of London was sold to visitors at the Franco-British Exhibition of 1908. The map unfolds to reveal a huge and superbly drawn pictorial map of London in full colour, with the Exhibition shown in the top left corner at Shepherds Bush. What is particularly unusual is how the London Underground railways are shown on the map, in two colours representing the Metropolitan & District Railways (Red) and Electric Tube Railways (Blue). It was common to make this distinction between the lines as they represented different construction methods and were operated by separate companies. Whilst the Metropolitan and District were shallow ‘cut-and-cover’ railways built in the 1860s, the electric tube railways had all opened within 8 years of this map being produced (most between 1902-1908).
In 1907, George Philip & Sons were the first to design a unified underground system map, assigning each line with their own colour. The map was called the ‘Evening News Tube Map of London’.
The Franco-British Exhibition was a large public fair held at the Shepherd’s Bush exhibition ground between May-October 1908. It was held to celebrate the ‘Entente Cordiale’ signed in 1904 and was attended by over 8 million visits - most of whom would have reached the ground by the London Underground!
FREE UK DELIVERY. Non-UK Delivery available, please request a quotation
Philip’s Picture Map of London - Exhibition Souvenir - One Shilling Net (1908)
Designed by George Philip & Sons, Published by Royal Geographical Institute. Measures 109cm x 58.5cm. Undated (1908). Colour lithograph folded as issued with card decorative covers in French and English. Condition: Bright and mostly unmarked. Covers intact. Most folds reinforced/repaired with archival tape on the verso.
This exceptionally rare pictorial map of London was sold to visitors at the Franco-British Exhibition of 1908. The map unfolds to reveal a huge and superbly drawn pictorial map of London in full colour, with the Exhibition shown in the top left corner at Shepherds Bush. What is particularly unusual is how the London Underground railways are shown on the map, in two colours representing the Metropolitan & District Railways (Red) and Electric Tube Railways (Blue). It was common to make this distinction between the lines as they represented different construction methods and were operated by separate companies. Whilst the Metropolitan and District were shallow ‘cut-and-cover’ railways built in the 1860s, the electric tube railways had all opened within 8 years of this map being produced (most between 1902-1908).
In 1907, George Philip & Sons were the first to design a unified underground system map, assigning each line with their own colour. The map was called the ‘Evening News Tube Map of London’.
The Franco-British Exhibition was a large public fair held at the Shepherd’s Bush exhibition ground between May-October 1908. It was held to celebrate the ‘Entente Cordiale’ signed in 1904 and was attended by over 8 million visits - most of whom would have reached the ground by the London Underground!
FREE UK DELIVERY. Non-UK Delivery available, please request a quotation