Friday, March 28, 2025

Welcome to a blog about collecting Antique terrestrial, and celestial globes


     A lot of people I know who collect anything or who are passionate about a hobby usually get started by accident ( someone buys them a gift, or they stumble upon an object in an antique store) or they start collecting because they know of another collector or are exposed to it at some point IE your dad collected xyz so now you are interested.
     I think collecting globes is an accidental hobby, at least it was for me I doubt too many people know a globe collector, they are rarely displayed in museum or gallery settings, so exposure to another collector is rare. In fact I have only face to face met a handful of other collectors in over a decade.
1930 Rand McNally globe pair 
     So as I sit and write I think if there are only 50 people around who seriously collect globes than why blog at all. Well I'll answer my own question ( I'll probably do that a lot) I think globe collecting is in it's infancy. It is certainly not popular like some collecting genres. I think there are a lot of reasons for this there certainly are barriers to entry, old globes are hard to find, most antique dealers have none, in fact I visit a huge antique mall in Rochester NY fairly often and I see few if any globes and the few I see are either too beat up or too new to interest me. They take up a lot of space, after you buy your 3rd globe you will realize one of 2 things either  1. I need to change my decorating to include globes, or  2. I need to devote a whole room to my collection; many people will do neither of these things and will not pursue the hobby.
     So then why collect globes?  For me the answer is as simple as Art , Science, and History.  I love all three to varying degrees and an old globe has the potential to offer all three.    Antique globes were created at a time and with materials that are just not as commonly used today. Wood, plaster, brass, paper.  Common materials employed for their durability, built to last.  Craftsmanship that has stood the test of time. 
     As a collector my goal is to assemble a representative collection that spans a century and a half of globe production in America from 1811 until about 1950.  Won't you join me on this quest, read on and we can learn from each other.  Scroll through my posts, 120 and counting, 5 years worth, they start with the most recent and keep reading, and exploring! 
     Just two rules............1. don't be afraid to contact me, either in post, or via email, and 2. Let's have a bit of fun along the way.......



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IF YOU HAVE A GLOBE TO SELL, OR WANT DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT A GLOBE YOU OWN PLEASE EMAIL ME AT      ktl340@aol.com

6 comments:

  1. Hello,I have been passed on a terrestial globe,which i believe could be from the early 18th century.How can i prove the age of the globe ?.

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  2. Hello, welcome, study the geography, globes were rarely dated so you have to give yourself a geographic history lesson, I have a post that discusses dating a globe, as well as other resources on the web, good luck!

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  3. I have a Rand Mc.Nally & Co.s New Twelve Inch Terrestrial Globe, on a turned walnut base, for sale.

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    1. I'd love to see some pictures, can you send pictures to ktl340@aol.com

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  4. Hi- I have a 16 inch Nystrom Structural Relief Globe . It is green and yellow only and has the model # 7A39-478. Would love to know the approximate date it was made, the rarity, and a ballpark estimate of it's worth.

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  5. Forgot to mention it is in excellent condition.

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