Relics from the past on sale

BANGALORE: In an era dominated by Google Maps; the beauty of old fashioned maps will soon lose its lustre. The various shades of colours and squiggly lines have always fascinated us for centuries. Though primeval some of us have not forgotten our tryst with cartography. Offering an exhibition of sophisticated ensembles of maps and prints is Sunil Murthy who wishes to keep alive the romance with maps through his exhibition. “The exhibition will offer a fine assortment of antiquated maps and prints; some of which date back to 1750. I used to be a journalist and was always interested in art. Being in Thailand, I realised there was a huge demand for ancient European and colonial items. Well, in India surprisingly there is a healthy demand for maps. More and more people wish to collect antique items. In fact the more decorative, the better.  Apart from maps, I also collect books on travel and exploration. Most of my maps are sourced from overseas. In fact, the entire lot was acquired recently from authorised dealers in Europe. When it comes to maps; one needs to be extremely careful in order to avoid foxing (which is nothing but the age-related spots and browning seen on vintage paper). And, this is often noticeable in coastal cities. Salt air plays havoc with paintings and dated collection,” said Sunil Murthy, Bangalore-based dealer in antiquarian maps and prints. He has been in business for over a decade in the city and has conducted regular sales in well-known art galleries and boutiques in the city and overseas.The exhibition will be held over three days, till August 15 at PageTurners bookstore. The sale will comprise old maps and prints, mostly of India and other regions (all neatly framed and ready to hang). The oldest map in the collection dates back to the mid-eighteenth century. This is a rare opportunity for anyone interested in history and geography to acquire something that will liven up any wall at home or in the office.