There are only a few antique map shops that I really enjoy and that is because the staff have a genuine interest in antique maps and a genuine interest in sharing that knowledge with other individuals that are interested. This is one of those select shops. Again, I always walked by the place never realizing just what it was. On my very last trip as the courier on the college trip to Bath, I discovered this place. You can imagine how much I was kicking myself for not discovering it sooner, then again, my bank account is probably thanking me.
It is a very... cozy shop... then again it is on Pulteney Bridge, so very understandable. Even though it was a very small shop, I spent a good hour and a half in there browsing. The man running the shop greeted me, but let me snoop around. Eventually he did ask me if I needed help and when I said I wasn't sure what I was looking for, but would probably know it if I found it, he laughed and said that if I did need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Unlike some staff at other stores, he seemed to be genuinely busy answering inqueries by phone and packaging up some maps to send. Sometimes I worry when the staff are just sitting there reading or doing Sudoku...
I finally found something. I had been watching Countryfile (I know...) just the Sunday before and Matt was following an antique road map and I recognized the layout of the map to be one of these antique road maps. What was even better was that it was from the area that I was living, so I recognized all of the towns! And that was what I was looking for! When I brought it to the counter, the man looked at it and started to tell me a bit about it. Now... that to me is one of the most important aspects of a good antique map shop... that they tell you about your map. Even if I did know all about it or even if I didn't want to hear about it, the fact that he is willing to educate me and knows something of the maps is important.
If you get map pox and you aren't near Edinburgh... try this place, I think you'll find it will help soothe the pox. read more
