Antique Maps, Old Maps, Vintage Maps, Antique Prints & Books by Gilmark Gallery in Hertfordshire, UK

Gillmark Gallery is not just an internet trading company.

The map shop, in Hertford, Hertfordshire, opened in 1997 and is owned and managed by Mark and Gill Pretlove.

As keen collectors we have been buying old maps & antique prints for over 20 years, our first map was a 1610 William Kip map of Hertfordshire - we were astonished that we could buy an original printed map from the early Jacobean period for under £100! Other purchases soon followed and our antique map collecting began in earnest. In 1997 we had the opportunity to open a shop and earn a living from our hobby and love of old vintage maps.

We both have an art school background and Gill had experience in her previous job as a cartographic draughtswoman in colourwashing Ordnance Survey and land use maps. Her background and training, combined with her love of old maps gives her the neccessary skills to be an 'illumineur' or map colourist, she takes pride in her work and ensures that she applies colour to the map in the style of the period using tints and hues available or in general use at that time. Gill is kept busy in the shop with our stock and commissions.

We are always happy to talk about antique maps and antique prints and help with enquiries but shop customers are free to browse our stock without interruption.

We also offer a conservation framing service, carried out on the premises. The framing service was initially intended for framing vintage maps purchased in the Gallery but has expanded over the years to a general framing service. We are saddened by the unnecessary damage caused to maps and prints by framers using unsuitable materials and methods. All our framing is carried out with conservation in mind.

Our antique maps are sold with a detailed description and are guaranteed genuine original antique printed maps.

All items listed on this website are available for sale - sold items are automatically removed from the listings so, on our site you don't have that frustration of finding the map that you have been looking for, only to see that it is "SOLD".  You can order in confidence knowing that the map is available and you will receive it within a few days.