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Celestial Globe and Stand

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Celestial Globe and Stand

- Item No.

This exceptionally rare 18-inch celestial globe was crafted by the famed J & W Cary of London

Key Features

  • The renowned firm of J & W Cary crafted this rare and important 18-inch celestial globe
  • The celestial globe features classical representations of the constellations in bold color
  • The globe is accompanied by a compass inset into the mahogany stand
  • Eighteen-inch globes are the most rare, and therefore most desirable size
  • Globe with base: 24 1/2" diameter x 44 1/2" high

Item Details

  • Height:
    44 1/2" Inches
  • Diameter:
    18"; w/base: 24 1/2" Inches
  • Period:
    19th Century
  • Origin:
    England/Ireland
An outstanding 18-inch globe from the fraternal partnership of J & W Cary. Representing the celestial landscape, this globe presented a wealth of information at one's fingertips. Populated with the mythological renditions of the constellations, this globe gives an accurate reading of the heavens for any time of the year. Scientific understanding of the world and sky would have been invaluable to all areas of business, including shipping, geography, and especially exploration. The globe features a varnished papier-maché map surface, brass meridian rings, and horizon rings which carry monthly and astrological calendars. An accurate compass is embedded in the handsome mahogany pedestal. Eighteen-inch globes are the most rare, and therefore are the most desirable size, making an original example by such an important maker a truly remarkable find.

A similar model is shown in an antique advertisement for Cary's globes in Globes in Greenwich by Elly Dekker. 

The celestial globe bears the maker's cartouche stating: CARY'S / NEW CELESTIAL GLOBE / on which are laid down / THE WHOLE of the STARS NEBULAE / Contained in the Astronomical Works of the / REVD F. WOOASTON F.R.S. / De la...Herschel, Hevelius, Mayer, / Flamsteed Bradley & / London, Made and Sold by J.& W. Cary, Strand, March 1816.

Globe with base: 24 1/2" diameter x 44 1/2" high

John and his brother William Cary collaborated in the late 18th century to craft some of the finest globes ever created. Their expert design and craftsmanship soon allowed them to take command of the English globe-producing market. After the death of the Cary brothers, the firm continued to produce high quality globes under the direction of John's sons George and John.

Reference:
Globes at Greenwich: A Catalogue of Globes and Armillary Spheres in the National Maritime Museum, 1999, Elly Dekker

Related Items

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21-Inch Celestial & Terrestrial Globes by Newton & Son
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Important Pair of 12-Inch Globes by Dudley Adams
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Rare 18-Inch Cary Globes

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Price: $48,500
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