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Large scale maps for the classroom, traveler or library were sometimes printed in segments and mounted on canvas to be folded. This method saved space and allowed for easy storage in a file, teacher's desk or a glove compartment. They were a practical alternative to the heavier wooden dowel or metal bracket wall-mounted maps.

The folding classroom maps often had grommets along the top to allow for easy display on a wall when the map was in use. Many companies- such as Nystrom, Denoyer-Geppert and Cram's produced sets of folding maps. Many came in elegant cases. Maps that were made for school or university libraries often had attached file folders, as well as grommets, for quick filing.

These unusual and rare maps look lovely framed or unframed.

Cram's Map of New York State c.1910s

Cartes Taride Travel Map of Morocco c.1920s

I will have a few large-scale German-made school maps with me this Sunday at the Brooklyn Flea in Williamsburg. The one in the photo is over 8 feet wide. It is a super-cool Dr. Evil inspired, mid-20th century industrial map of Europe. I had to hang it from my back deck in order to fully unroll it. If you need to spectacularly cover a large wall, these may be the maps for you. I also have maps this size of the U.S., Southeast Asia and the World. Please inquire for availibilty and prices.

Check out this NYTimes article on a new exhibit about  the history of breweries in NYC at The New York Historical Society. It reminded me of all the vintage breweriana that I sell at the Brooklyn flea. I will have some great stuff for sale tomorrow in my booth. Ballantine's, Piel's, Schaeffer. Ahhhh summer….

In my wanderings in the wilderness that is Brimfield, I found a large crate of wonderful old cylindrical wax records. I purchased them for their lovely packaging without knowing too much about them. I have since done some research into these fascinating musical artifacts. Most of the lot that I have were made by Edison, but a few were from Columbia Records (which is still in business today.)Edison invented the cylindrical records and player in 1877 and they gained in popularity through the turn of the 20th Century. Competition with Columbia Records was fierce until the early 1910s when Columbia's new disc records played with a steel needle eclipsed the more fragile cylindrical records. By 1912, wax cylinders were no longer being produced.

Edison sold 2-Minute wax Gold Moulded Records in these ornately decorated boxes. The box on the left is an earlier version and the one on the right is a later version used just prior to the introduction of 4-Minute wax Amberol cylinders in 1908. These record boxes are very substantially made with cotton padding on the inside to protect the fragile wax records.

If you would like to see or purchase one of these records, I will be bringing them to the Brooklyn flea and selling them for a modest $7 each.