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Antique Globes
It was the trans-oceanic discoveries of
Columbus and his contemporaries that
sparked off the popularity of globes.
Prior to that, maps had been engraved on
metal or drawn by hand and pasted on a
wooden ball; but by the 16th century they
were often printed on paper "gores"
cunningly designed to fit a curved
surface.
By the 17th century the use of a globe
was considered a vital part of a good
education, and as time went on globes and
other scientific instruments usually
formed part of the furniture of a
well-equipped country-house library. One
of the most spectacular pairs of globes (a
pair usually has one terrestrial globe and
one celestial) is at Althorp in
Northamptonshire.
English globes from the 17th through to
the 19th century can command staggering
prices. A good pair of library globes by a
well-known maker such as Cary could easily
fetch in excess of £50,000 at
auction, although a standard single
library globe in sound condition might
achieve just £4,000. You will often
find the maker's name and retailer's
address printed on an uninhabited
region.
The materials used in printed globes
mean that very few early examples survive.
The paper gores are easily scratched, torn
or marked, while the delicate hollow
bodies are also prone to damage,
especially when no longer protected within
their supporting cradles. Restoration is
notoriously difficult and expensive, and
as with all antiques, originality is as
important as condition. I recently found
myself in the awkward position of
informing a member of a European royal
family that the papers on the "horizon
circles" that ringed his pair of globes
were well-disguised photocopies, halving
the value.
You need to be equally aware of the
originality of the stands and cradles.
Always enquire about the extent of
restoration. Are there any later elements?
Is it a later copy? Have any of the legs
been replaced? Is the compass stretcher
original?
If you don't have room for a pair of
3ft-tall library globes, then opt for
table globes. Produced to the same high
standards, a good single globe will be
worth about £4,000. And if space is a
real problem, consider a pocket globe - a
charming miniature no bigger than a
cricket ball, kept in a small, round case.
These fetch up to £2,000.
Either way, whatever you do, don't rely
on an antique globe to pin down your
holiday destination - unless, of course,
you want to go to New Jackson Land or into
Uncharted Areas.
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