roadmap art

Recently I saw three old Melways at the Op shop and walked away.
An hour later my sister rang from Maryborough saying she had just seen a 78 edition GC for two dollars, do I want it?
Ok.

Pity the Melways don't have graphics. Then collectors could have circa 66 pics of elongated petrol station attendants, motorists waving, driving, and bowser mascots to browse. From memory, I think you have to go to Broadbents or Morgan's for that.

However: Roadmap Art of the Road a flickr group via I like

The Road Ahead A Collector's Look at North American Road Maps


(and checking back into the Melways I see that as well as the entire number 1 online, now there are maps from editions through to 5.)

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Comments: roadmap art

Melways seems the exception to the rule of thou shalt not put a publication date in thy street directory. Gregorys, UBD, Fullers, all ours are dateless, making those cover graphics awfully useful for guessing

I have a 1975 melways, and still use it when I visit. Freeways begone - what's with that big one at the end of Exhibition St, eh? Not in '75!
Posted by Kent at April 24, 2005 09:19 PM

I blogged about it before, but I do find those early directories fascinating. Eg. Around here where the Freeway sliced the suburb, and who knows what it was like to live here before the 70's, but at least the Melway number 1 has recorded the look of it.
The map is like bare code.
Posted by boynton at April 25, 2005 04:29 PM

ah I found your old post, yes. I'm also in love with old maps. I found a few survey maps 2nd-hand, in tatters, that cover small parts of the Adelaide Plains - what is now suburbia are empty spaces with windmills, dams, and specks of buildings about the place. They're from 1942, 1937, marked 'Official, If Found Return To Military Headquarters'. but, I could go on about them all day. One day, I'll scan them.
Posted by Kent at April 25, 2005 04:48 PM

Please go on about them, all day, and send us the link.

btw - I was going to put this on a separate Post, but this Flickr things seems in the same sort of territory, albeit the personal. (Just waiting for Google maps to get to (A)us.)

Flickr group. memory Maps
http://www.flickr.com/groups/memorymaps/
(via Kevan)
http://del.icio.us/kevan/maps
Posted by boynton at April 25, 2005 05:00 PM

Found some scans

http://ummm.net/dockofthebay/2005/04/25/suburban-paddocks/
Posted by Kent at April 25, 2005 07:52 PM