A recent sale of Modern Art & Design items at Chorley’s Auctioneers in Gloucestershire proves the point that it’s always worth hanging on to items likely to be of future interest. Among the star lots was a huge 7x7ft map (admittedly painted not printed) produced by MacDonald Gill in the 1930s. It depicted the firm’s “vast commercial empire” and was displayed in the company’s boardroom. Hat-tip to whoever saved it for posterity – it sold for a whopping £50,000. 

MacDonald Gill’s brother, the more famous Eric, designed the typography for the WH Smith signage, and at the same sale his AER, Three Designs for Lettering went for £16,000 – far exceeding the estimate of between £1,600-£1,800. 

Look after those archives, printing chums – they could turn into quite a windfall and you might even get to meet Fiona Bruce.