Hall
The entrance hall at Duncan Street was designed to make an impact, and was used for various purposes. The ground floor level, dominated by a large globe, was bright and welcoming. Bartholomew often used this space to house exhibitions. The balcony displayed some of the work for which Bartholomew was famous worldwide.
Entrance hall — ground floor
The ground floor of Bartholomew's double-height entrance hall. Its most prominent feature was a large globe.
According to the firm's biographer, the globe 'was displayed on the Bartholomew stand at the Wembley Exhibition of 1924 … and above it runs a fragment of Ciceronian dialogue, roughly to be translated "how fortunate is he who, engaged in trivial affairs, can keep in mind the vastness of the whole world"' ('Bartholomew, 150 years' by L Gardiner, 1976. Edinburgh: John Bartholomew & Son Ltd).
Entrance hall — balcony
This photograph shows the second-floor of Duncan Street's entrance hall. Bartholomew used this space to display some of their early and most important map publications.
Exhibitions at Duncan Street
John Bartholomew & Son were keen to share their enthusiasm and knowledge of maps with the public. During the 1970s and ’80s they used the entrance hall to hold a number of exhibitions. This brochure accompanied 'Maps old and new', an exhibition of maps, atlases and copper plates which ran from 17 August to 6 September 1980.
Bartholomew describe the event as: 'A unique opportunity to see a selection of antiquarian maps, not previously on public display, from the Signet Library Collection at the Geographical Institute, 12 Duncan Street, Edinburgh.'
Exhibition at Duncan Street in 1980
The cover of a Bartholomew exhibition brochure, which includes a drawing of a sailing ship.
'Transport, tourism and leisure through the ages' was an exhibition of maps, atlases and copper plates, held from 18 August to 7 September 1980.
