Cable & Wireless Great Circle Map
This remarkable world map was produced for Cable & Wireless in 1945 and designed by MacDonald Gill, one of the great British pictorial mapmakers of the twentieth century.
The map places Britain at the centre of a global communications network, with submarine cables, wireless routes and telegraph links stretching across the world. Around the main map are illustrated scenes showing cable ships, wireless transmitters, mobile telegraph stations and key moments in the history of long-distance communication.
It is a fascinating piece of design from the end of the Second World War. The world it shows is still shaped by empire and trade, but also by technology, speed and signal. That is what makes the map so interesting to us. It is not just decorative. It captures a moment when global communication was becoming part of everyday modern life.
Restoration & Print
We have restored this map carefully from the original archival source, with the aim of making it suitable for modern display while keeping the character of the original piece intact.
The restoration preserves Gill’s lettering, colour, border detail and illustrated scenes, while reducing the marks, uneven tones and age-related wear that can distract from the artwork when printed at display size. We have not tried to make it look new. The intention is to respect the original design and let the detail come through clearly.
Each print is produced on 250gsm Master's Edition archival paper. This is a matte, uncoated paper with a natural off-white tone, chosen because it suits historic artwork far better than bright white poster paper. It is acid-free, FSC-certified and has a substantial feel at 0.29mm thick.
The result is a premium historic map print with the depth, softness and presence needed for a study, office, library or gallery wall.
Work Details
Work: Britain the World Centre, Cable & Wireless Great Circle Map
Artist: MacDonald Gill
Publisher: Edward Stanford for Cable & Wireless
Place: London
Date: 1945
Source: British Library, G70126-20
Restoration: Digital restoration from archival source
Print: 250gsm Master's Edition archival matte paper, natural off-white, acid-free and FSC-certified
