A vivid poster map of the GPO’s mail routes

A very fine example of this colourful map of the world, on an azimuthal projection, although Gill has chosen to depict two Antarcticas (one under Australia, the other under South America) rather than stretch the ice out across the bottom of the map. In the top corners are illustrations of a post box, a postal van and the loading of the mail onto a steamship. Under the map are eleven roundel depictions of the development of ocean-going craft, from the time of the Vikings, through the Middle Ages to East Indiamen, Brunel's 'Great Eastern' of 1858 and RMS 'Queen Mary' (now moored at Long Beach). Either side of the title is the new logo of the GPO, also designed by Gill. Leslie MacDonald Gill (1884-1947, known as Max), younger brother of Eric Gill, specialised in graphic design in the Arts and Crafts style. His most important commission was from the Imperial War Graves Commission, designing the script used on Commission headstones and war memorials, including the 'Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme'. His 'Wonderground Map of London', originally drawn as an advertising poster for London Electric Underground Railway Company in 1914, was such a success it is credited with saving the 'UndergrounD' advertising campaign.