Rare £10,000 Tube map which is ‘unlike any other one out there’ revealed

A uncommon Tube representation has travel up for sale, revealing the forgotten London of the 1930s.

The 162-year-old London Underground web continues to fascinate regular commuters, visitors and Tube lovers alike.

Now a uncommon enamel Tube representation has cropped up connected the marketplace for £9,995 aft antiques trader Chris Berry discovered it.

Mr Berry, the proprietor of Iconic Antiques based successful Bristol and selling priced items online, shared what makes the enamel framed representation truthful uncommon helium ‘almost fell off’ his seat erstwhile helium archetypal saw it.

‘It is the past geographical representation earlier the circular map, the past 1 earlier the Harry Beck one,’ helium told Metro.

He said galore akin maps hanging adjacent presumption entrances were ‘knocked down and a batch of them deteriorated’ arsenic they were outside. The Transport Museum has one, but Iconic Antiques’ portion is the lone 1 up for merchantability currently, it is understood.

‘It’s been successful the hands of a collector for decades, I was fortunate capable to get it,’ helium said.

What is known astir the representation is that it dates to aboriginal 1933 and weighs 55kg acknowledgment to the afloat custom-made framework made by Chromo Wolverhampton. Designed by Fred Stingemore, it was made to prolong the worst of the UK upwind arsenic it was exposed to the elements for years.

It was the past geographical representation crossed London Underground stations, produced successful ‘low numbers.’ With the iconic Harry Beck diagram versions already being circulated arsenic pouch maps successful aboriginal 1933, the archetypal geographical maps were replaced by them astatine stations by the summertime of 1933.

However, immoderate details astir the map’s origins stay a mystery.

‘We don’t cognize what presumption it comes from, that is portion of the mystery. It’s beauteous to ideate tons of 1930s gentlemen touching it and going past it.’

Mr Berry, whose erstwhile rare£32,000 Harry Beck Tube representation poster featured successful the Channel 4 bid The Greatest Auction, came crossed the enamel representation by accidental astatine a collector’s lair. He was selling a London Underground motion ‘relevant to the collector,’ truthful the items exchanged hands.

‘When helium offered it, I astir fell disconnected my chair,’ said.

When asked astir what Tube fans should look retired for currently, 1 point stood out.

‘There are tons of radical who cod the pouch maps that are issued today. Look for misprints connected immoderate issues successful the print.’

‘It’s a halo portion – benignant of the pridefulness of our offering. We don’t person galore of those successful stock, truthful it is precise fortunate. It’s erstwhile successful a vocation opportunity.’

He has lone seen 1 enamel framed 1933 representation connected the marketplace earlier which was ‘the aforesaid contented sold astatine Christie’s successful 2012.’ The frame, which boasted an archetypal swan cervix lamp, fetched £12,000 astatine the time.

The enamel representation is present hanging connected the partition astatine Mr Berry’s location – but letting it spell mightiness beryllium tricky, the Tube enthusiast said.

‘It’s successful my hallway and it hasn’t been falling onto my children who locomotion past it regularly. I get to bask it until idiosyncratic comes along.

‘The 1933 insubstantial representation that we sold connected Channel 4 I had to depart with. It’s a hard 1 erstwhile you bargain into the taxable you love. But it is besides portion of it,’ helium explained.’

‘We emotion thing aboriginal London Underground. We specialise successful that. The roundels connected the sides of presumption platforms merchantability for thousands regularly,’ helium added.

‘No 1 other volition person successful their wall, cleanable for your kitchen. And dissimilar insubstantial maps that are astatine hazard of deterioration and tearing, this volition not endure those types of issues and volition outlast everybody,’ helium added.

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