Rare Original 1933 First Edition 750M 1-33 Harry Beck London Underground Card Pocket Map
£1,695.00
Map of London Underground Railway – January 1933 (1-33). First Edition pocket map by HC Beck, card edition.
Printing code 750M-1-33.
One of the few surviving 1st Edition HC Beck Underground diagram maps. This map is from the first print run of Becks design in January 1933; the first time the public saw this map after London Underground management decided to try Beck’s design. 750,000 copies were initially printed, denoted by the printing mark 750M. The copies were distributed so quickly that a second print run in February was required, with some slight revisions to the original design.
Henry ‘Harry’ Charles Beck was a temporarily employed electrical draughtsman who, on his own initiative, used his knowledge of circuit diagrams to reimagine the underground network, realising that passengers needs of navigation was more important than geographical accuracy. Before Becks design, many designers had struggled to display the network, all were challenged with the same problem- how to show the densely packed central area clearly whilst showing the outer reaches of the network in all directions.
The design, that seems such an obvious and intuitive approach to mapping today, was rejected when Beck first submitted it to the LT Board in 1931. Beck recalls, “My underground map was handed back to me and it seemed that that was the end of it. But I did not lose hope and the following year I decided to have one more try”. He later recounts “I will never forget Mr Patmore saying to me “you’d better sit down, I’m going to give you a shock. We’re going to print it.”.
The map was immediately embraced by passengers and was eventually to become held with great affection. The incorporation of the river was also to be greatly revered by tube travellers and has been to the present day. This is the only surface feature shown on the map and although it too is a schematic representation, it provides a geographical datum which assists the interpretation and understanding of the map tremendously.
The commercial value to London Transport and the rest of the world is immeasurable. Beck was paid 10 guineas for his design, probably about two weeks wages in those days.
In 2006, Beck’s 1933 design was voted the 2nd most Iconic British design of all time, just behind Concorde [Wikipedia].
Condition- Fair to good- minor areas of creasing, wear to folds and scattered light creasing.
Size when open: 14.2 cm x 20.2 cm (5.5 by 8 inches).
