Exquisite Maps The World Has Ever Seen. By Lee Moran
Edward
Brooke-Hitching acknowledges he’s a man on a mission when it comes to
antique maps.
The British author
spent two years painstakingly researching the most exquisite and expensive ones
ever made for his new book, The Golden Atlas: The Greatest Explorations, Quests and
Discoveries on Maps. Many of the original
versions of those featured in his book are worth millions of dollars and are
kept securely under lock and key.
“The world of antique
maps, dealers and auctions can seem quite an intimidating, stuffy and elitist
arena closed off from the general public,” the 35-year-old told HuffPost this
week. “It’s important
they’re seen outside the world of private collecting, that their beauty is
broadcast to anyone who might be curious,” he added. “They provide a sense of
their period like no other document can offer. They’re snapshots of everything
we knew of the world at that time, as well as everything we believed.”
Brooke-Hitching’s
passion for maps was sparked at a young age by his rare tome-dealing father. It
provided the inspiration for his previous book, The
Phantom Atlas, which noted the epic blunders made on maps over the
years. Modern maps don’t have
quite the same pull for Brooke-Hitching, who also works as a writer for BBC
quiz show “QI.” He said they lack the artistic and narrative elements because
“with satellite photography, mapping has achieved its ultimate goal: true
accuracy.”
“There’s no room for
artistic flourishes, rumors, myths and uncorrected errors, and pretty much
every other element that make antique maps so fascinating, on the modern map,”
the London-based writer said. “Of course it’s sad in
a way, but it’s also astounding that I can use a small device in my pocket to
scour every square inch of the planet,” he added.
Check out nine of
the stunning maps featured in the book below:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/beautiful-maps-edward-brooke-hitching_us_5bfe9032e4b030172fa8ea34
