Rare 18-Inch Cary Globes
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This exceptional pair of rare 18-inch globes was crafted by the famed J & W Cary of London
Key Features
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- The renowned firm of J & W Cary crafted this rare and important pair of 18-inch globes
- The terrestrial globe boasts accurate geographical renderings and voyages of famed explorers
- The celestial globe features classical representations of the constellations in bold color
- The globes are accompanied by compasses inset into the mahogany stands
- Eighteen-inch globes are the most rare, and therefore most desirable, size
Item Details
- Height:
44 Inches - Diameter:
24 Inches - Period:
19th Century - Origin:
England/Ireland
An outstanding pair of antique 18-inch globes from the fraternal partnership of J & W Cary. Representing the terrestrial and celestial landscapes, these globes meant having a wealth of information at one's fingertips. Expert cartographers rendered continents in painstaking detail, even indicating Native American tribal lands and natural resources. The accurate placement of New Orleans, a well-traveled and economically vital port, is of particular interest. Scientific understanding of the world and sky would have been invaluable to all areas of business, including shipping, geography, and especially exploration. The voyages of Captains Cook, Vancouver and others are charted, as are detailed maps of the stars and constellations. The terrestrial globe also features an analemma, which provided a scale of the Sun's daily declination. Suspended on mahogany pedestals, the globes feature a varnished papier-maché map surfaces, brass meridian rings, and horizon rings which carry monthly and astrological calendars. Accurate compasses are embedded in the pedestals. Eighteen-inch globes are the most rare, and therefore are the most desirable size, making an original pair 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. Originally dated 1816, the terrestrial globe was amended with "Corrections and Additions" in 1818. The celestial globe is also dated 1816. 24" diameter x 44" high Globe making was often a family business. John Cary, a leading cartographer, formed a partnership with his brother William, an optician and nautical instrument maker, for the supply of globes. John's sons, John and George, later took over the business. William Cary was also known for developing new forms of celestial globes, mounted in a carrying case, for use at sea. Reference: Globes at Greenwich: A Catalogue of Globes and Armillary Spheres in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, 1999, Elly Dekker
