A description of the small-scale maps : issued by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton , 1930 : cover by Ellis Martin
During the 1920s, as a response to both central Goverment budget restraints on the Ordnance Survey, the UK's national mapping agency, and an increasingly popular market for maps for leisure purposes, the OS realised that it would have to make greater efforts to publicise and promote their mapping products. As part of this increased marketing a series of booklets and catalogue were issued to explain the variety of mapping and its uses alongside the increased use of more 'designed' covers for map series. This was to give them greater 'shelf appeal'.
The OS were fortunate in that they had some home grown talent who was used to provide illustration - Arthur Palmer who was a draughtsman. The OS also employed another artist whose name has become synonymous with their inter-war mapping - Ellis Martin. Martin provided the bulk of map and booklet covers along with other items of promotion material and he also designed much of the lettering, borders and cartouches used at the time. His style is now seen as redolent of the age - capturing map users and places in time.
By 1930 and the seventh edition of the highly popular guide to small-scale maps (including one-inch, quarter-inch and ten-inch map series) the cover had been simplified from the earlier motorists cover. Instead this heavily detailed cartouche or frame by Ellis Martin is used.
A description of the small-scale maps : issued by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton , 1930 : cover by Ellis Martin
During the 1920s, as a response to both central Goverment budget restraints on the Ordnance Survey, the UK's national mapping agency, and an increasingly popular market for maps for leisure purposes, the OS realised that it would have to make greater efforts to publicise and promote their mapping products. As part of this increased marketing a series of booklets and catalogue were issued to explain the variety of mapping and its uses alongside the increased use of more 'designed' covers for map series. This was to give them greater 'shelf appeal'.
The OS were fortunate in that they had some home grown talent who was used to provide illustration - Arthur Palmer who was a draughtsman. The OS also employed another artist whose name has become synonymous with their inter-war mapping - Ellis Martin. Martin provided the bulk of map and booklet covers along with other items of promotion material and he also designed much of the lettering, borders and cartouches used at the time. His style is now seen as redolent of the age - capturing map users and places in time.
By 1930 and the seventh edition of the highly popular guide to small-scale maps (including one-inch, quarter-inch and ten-inch map series) the cover had been simplified from the earlier motorists cover. Instead this heavily detailed cartouche or frame by Ellis Martin is used.