The coastline that never was

October 26, 2026

Picked up a small eighteenth-century chart of the northern coast at a flea market last weekend. Half of the bays on it simply do not exist. The engraver clearly worked from a sailor's description, and the sailor clearly had a generous imagination. It now hangs above the kettle.

Smoky tea for foggy maps

October 12, 2026

Lapsang souchong goes surprisingly well with sea charts. Something about the smell of a wood fire and the faded blue of old water. A strong second infusion, a magnifying glass and a quiet evening is all you need to get lost in the soundings.

How to tell a print from a facsimile

September 28, 2026

Look at the plate mark, the paper and the colour. Real copperplate prints leave a slight dent around the image, old rag paper has chain lines when held to the light, and hand colouring sits unevenly on the surface. Modern facsimiles are usually too clean and too even.

A rainy afternoon in the map room

September 9, 2026

Spent three hours with a city atlas from the 1850s, tracing streets that are now motorways. Some of the old names survive on tiny side lanes. Brought a thermos of Darjeeling and was politely asked to leave it at the door.