Old Map of Scotland in 1846 by John Arrowsmith - Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness

Published in 1846, this map of Scotland was produced by John Arrowsmith, widely regarded as one of the most respected mapmakers working in Britain during the mid-nineteenth century. Every county on the map is hand-coloured along its border, giving the whole piece a rich, painterly quality that is rare among maps of this period. Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland's two great cities, sit prominently on the map, along with Aberdeen and Inverness further north, gateway to the Highlands.

The map ranges from the shores of Loch Ness and the mountains of Ross-shire in the north to the rolling farmland of the Scottish Borders in the south, and takes in the islands of Skye and Arran off the west coast. Every historic county is marked and named, from Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Ayrshire through to Perthshire, Roxburghshire, Stirlingshire and Sutherland, along with the more remote counties of Orkney, Shetland and Caithness in the far north. Roads and county boundaries are picked out with real precision, reflecting the surveying advances of the Victorian era and making this map as useful a historical reference as it is a decorative piece.

This print of Scotland brings real depth of colour and detail to a study, hallway or living room, and it's especially fitting for anyone with Scottish family roots. It makes a memorable birthday or Christmas gift, a Father's Day present for a dad who loves the Highlands, an anniversary gift for a couple who honeymooned near Loch Ness, or a retirement gift for someone finally able to travel and explore Scotland at leisure. It's a striking, colourful piece of wall art that rewards close, unhurried inspection.