In the 1980s, The Old Map Gallery was founded in Denver, Colorado by Paul F. Mahoney. Curtis Bird apprenticed under Paul during his college years where he fell in love with the trade and the people it served. In 2000, Curtis and Alanna Bird purchased the Old Map Gallery and have since made it their own.

Curtis brings 30 plus years of knowledge and expertise of handling old paper. He is a forever student and can often be found pioneering and pushing the boundaries on what was once considered to have very defined shores.

His love for the stories of the maps and the mapmakers have opened new discoveries on many fronts. He loves exploring vintage maps and their origins as it was a place where science, art and history all intersect. He believes that we are in a state where we could easily leave behind a paper age and has endeavored to keep the love of holding a map in your actual hand alive.

If you have read any of his articles, listened to his podcast, seen him on the news or had an experience with him at a map fair, you would know his passion for maps and their stories is infectious. He can often be found fanning the flames with his spirit of curiosity. He and his wife Alanna live in the Denver Metro area with their two sons, who have been huge helpers in the family business.