17445
A Pair of Regency 18-Inch Globes by J&W Cary
A Pair of Regency 18-Inch Globes by J&W Cary
Dimensions: H: 42 in / 106 cm | Dia: 19 in / 48 cm
PRICE: £75,000
17445
A Pair of Regency 18-Inch Globes
by J&W Cary
A pair of 18-inch globes, set in finely crafted mahogany stands, rising from a tripod base with brass castors for ease of movement, having inswept legs and a brass meridian ring.
English, circa 1820
The terrestrial globe, hand-coloured and finely engraved, is composed of twelve gores, laid upon a wood and plaster sphere. It features the tracks of famous explorers, including Captain Cook, Vancouver, and La Perouse, illustrating their voyages across uncharted territories. The sphere is adorned with a wealth of geographical detail, including seasonal passages, unexplored territories, and the division of Australia into New Holland and New South Wales. Noteworthy regions include Africa, with the 'Mountains of the Moon' and copper mines, and North America, which marks indigenous territories such as those of the Snake, Blackfoot, and Rocky Mountain tribes. The cartouche declaring it ‘Cary’s New Terrestrial Globe […] March 1st 1816 / with corrections and additions to 1827.’
The celestial globe portrays the heavens with exquisite detail, including over 3,500 stars—more than any prior globe—alongside nebulae and various other astronomical features. Mythical beasts and scientific instruments illustrate the constellations, with names and magnitudes of stars indicated in Greek characters and numbers. The cartouche declaring it ‘Cary’s New Celestial Globe […] March 1816.’
John Cary (1755–1835), one of the preeminent English cartographers and globe makers of the early 19th century, produced these globes during an era of great scientific and geographical discovery. Cary’s partnership with his brother William established their firm as one of the most respected in London, and these globes are prime examples of the firm’s expertise. The terrestrial globe, in particular, reflects Cary’s incorporation of the latest geographical data, including voyages by Mungo Park, Lewis and Clark, Humboldt, and Flinders. They moved from their Strand premises around 1820, setting up shop at 86 St James’s Street, and continued trading after Cary’s death from a Pall Mall address until the early years of the 20th century.
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