12 June 2010

Glove map of London

In 1851, some ladies' leather gloves were printed with a basic map of London:
The international expositions staged in Europe and America over the past two centuries attracted exhibits and tourists from around the world. To help organize the sprawling grounds, cartographers issued specialized maps that rivaled the inventiveness and visual allure of the displays themselves. On this ladies' glove, George Shove fit a map of London and the Great Exhibition. The Exhibition's distinctive Crystal Palace is near the base of the palm. The relative positions of other London destinations are also drawn in: St. Paul's Cathedral across two fingers and Kensington Gardens near the wrist.
Source: The National Archives of the United Kingdom, via a map exhibition at the Field Museum, Chicago.  Via Couleurs.

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