Bill Marsh: “There’s something really useful about seeing the whole thing in one sweep, in great detail, all at once.”

Very Expensive Maps

Philadelphia cartographer and New York Times graphics editor Bill Marsh describes his 30-year project to map his adopted city, his collection of hyper-dense axonometric maps, getting the Philadelphia Inquirer to chopper a photographer over the city for him, and the bygone days of hand-inked editorial maps (an early project: illustrating the nuclear annihilation of Grand Rapids, Michigan.) You can buy his magisterial map of Philadelphia for $7 from https://store.philamuseum.org/philadelphia-pictorial-map-and-walking-guide/

• Pics of his 3x2ft absurdly detailed map of Philadelphia: every building facade, bus lines, restaurants, bathrooms, subways, the Rocky steps, it has it all
• Buy it now for only seven bucks
• Inspiration for his map: Constantine Anderson’s map of Manhattan
• Hermann Bollmann’s map of Manhattan
• Tadashi Ishihara’s map of Manhattan
• His preferred printer: The Standard Group
• Transit maps by Jug Cerovic
• Larry Buchanan, who gifted me Bill’s map and made this episode happen <3

Need maps for your org’s reports, decks, walls and events? ⁠The Map Consultancy makes real nice maps, real fast.⁠ See what good maps can do for you at themapconsultancy.com

I have three words for you: Big. Glowing. Maps. Depending on how that makes you feel, you might like two more words: ⁠Radiant Maps⁠. See the most beautiful backlit maps at radiantmaps.co

Time for some map gifts: get 15% off woven map blankets and backlit map decor with code 15OFF, everything ships free – ⁠https://www.etsy.com/shop/RadiantMaps?coupon=15OFF⁠