Basin of the North Atlantic, issued in 1861 by W. & A.K. Johnston, captures the oceanic heart of the nineteenth-century world with a scholar’s precision and an artist’s poise. The esteemed Johnston firm—renowned for elevating atlases into objects of enduring reference—organizes the vast theater between North America, Europe, and Northern Africa into a legible, luminous whole. Pastel washes gently differentiate lands and waters while preserving a wealth of fine detail, from coastal intricacies to the careful placement of cities and settlements. A distinctive Piano Key border frames the composition, underscoring the period’s taste for ornamented clarity and lending the chart a refined cadence that complements its deeply informative purpose.

This is a map of geography rendered as narrative: rivers coursing toward the sea, lakes set like mirrors within the continent, and mountain chains articulated with disciplined hachures. Across the shores of the North Atlantic, the cartographers plot urban centers and coastal settlements with judicious spacing, allowing place names and annotations to breathe. Careful labeling calls attention to notable landmarks and natural systems without crowding the eye, inviting a slow, rewarding reading of landforms and waterways. The overall effect is one of coherent complexity—an atlas plate that rewards both a quick survey and extended contemplation.

Equally compelling is the political tableau inscribed upon this physical stage. The United States and Canada anchor the western rim; across the ocean, the United Kingdom, France, Portugal, and Spain define Europe’s Atlantic face; to the south, Morocco marks Northern Africa’s portal. Territorial divisions correspond to the mid-nineteenth-century order, situating the viewer within a moment when national borders, colonial ties, and maritime commerce were dynamically interwoven. The West Indies appear as a constellation of strategic islands—geographically compact yet geopolitically expansive—where imperial interests and trading networks converged, forming an essential chain within the wider Atlantic world.

Johnston’s chart foregrounds the sea as connective tissue, tracing the routes that stitched continents together. Lines indicating maritime pathways span the North Atlantic, curving toward the great ports and harbors that powered transoceanic exchange. The map’s scope embraces the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico as vital annexes to the oceanic basin, revealing how shipping lanes radiated from and returned to these waters. Cities are placed with a navigator’s intuition, each a node in a network directed by winds, currents, and commercial necessity. It is a portrait of movement as much as place—of oceanic space rendered legible for trade, travel, and exploration.

The design language is classic Johnston: elegant typography, disciplined engraving, and chromatic restraint aligned with nineteenth-century cartographic taste. The Piano Key border provides a crisp architectural frame, while the title display anchors the sheet with quiet authority. Beyond its beauty, the map offers historical depth—an atlas page that allows the viewer to read the mid-century Atlantic as contemporaries did, with politics, commerce, and physical geography inextricably linked. For the collector and the connoisseur of maps, it is a study in how information becomes art, and how a single sheet can illuminate a world bound together by water.

Countries and regions on this map

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• France
• Portugal
• Spain
• Morocco
• West Indies
• North Atlantic Ocean
• Caribbean Sea
• Gulf of Mexico

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Detailed depiction of the North Atlantic Ocean.
• Marking of major rivers, lakes, and mountain ranges.
• Representation of cities and coastal settlements.
• Lines indicating maritime routes.
• Decorative Piano Key border around the map.
• Annotations for geographical features and notable landmarks.

Historical and design context

• Created in 1861 by W. & A.K. Johnston.
• Johnston firm renowned for high-quality atlases and major contributions to 19th-century cartography.
• Reflects mid-19th-century political geography and territorial divisions.
• Highlights the North Atlantic’s role as a navigational corridor for trade and exploration.
• Light pastel color palette enhances clarity and aesthetic appeal.
• Title display reflects the artistic trends of 19th-century cartography.

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 100in (250cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

Please note: the labels on this map are hard to read if you order a map that is 20in (50cm) or smaller. The map is still very attractive, but if you would like to read the map easily, please buy a larger size.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.

For most orders, delivery time is about 3 working days. Personalised and customised products take longer, as I have to do the personalisation and send it to you for approval, which usually takes 1 or 2 days.

Please note that very large framed orders usually take longer to make and deliver. 

If you need your order to arrive by a certain date, please contact me before you order so that we can find the best way of making sure you get your order in time.

I print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world. This means your order will be made locally, which cuts down on delivery time and ensures that it won't be damaged during delivery. You'll never pay customs or import duty, and we'll put less CO2 into the air.

All of my maps and art prints are well packaged and sent in a rugged tube if unframed, or surrounded by foam if framed.

I try to send out all orders within 1 or 2 days of receiving your order, though some products (like face masks, mugs and tote bags) can take longer to make.

If you select Express Delivery at checkout your order we will prioritise your order and send it out by 1-day courier (Fedex, DHL, UPS, Parcelforce).

Next Day delivery is also available in some countries (US, UK, Singapore, UAE) but please try to order early in the day so that we can get it sent out on time.

Read my full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps, art and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte (not shiny) cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced box wood frame, and then 'float' the piece within a wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing to get in the way.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read my size guide first.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

If you are not happy with your order for any reason, contact me and I'll get it fixed ASAP, free of charge. Please see my returns and refund policy for more information.

I am very confident you will like your restored map or art print. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and art prints and have over 5,000 real 5-star reviews. My work has been featured in interior design magazines, on the BBC, and on the walls of dozens of 5-star hotels.

I use a unique process to restore maps and artwork that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps and illustrations can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore them. As a result, I guarantee my maps and art prints are a cut above the rest. I stand by my products and will always make sure you're 100% happy with what you receive.

Almost all of my maps and art prints look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.