Denoyer Geppert 4 inch Pupils' globe...... a tiny treasure

     A few months back I lost out on a near perfect example of the Denoyer Geppert 4 inch globe.  Back then I lamented that I lost an auction for a measly 4 cents!
     Well serendipitously I managed to procure an even better example of this great globe, complete with the original box and original reorder insert.

Here's a great little item that I think enjoys a place in any globe collection.  This is Denoyer Geppert's entry into the lucrative student market, a la 1928 or so.  A 4 inch tin globe mounted on an adjustable 1/2 meridian. The whole thing stands less than 6 inches high, the base has written tips and ideas for use written in orange.  The idea behind this was that for 50 cents each every student in class would be provided with their own globe and would follow along at their desk with the teacher who would be operating from a larger, presumably 12 or 18 inch Denoyer model of her own.
     This globe is advertised as superior to pasteboard, or cardboard models such as those offered by Rand McNally, and Weber Costello, because being ALL METAL it can stand up to the rigor of the classroom better.  I've never handled this model globe before but I was struck by how heavy it was, the metal is far thicker than the tin globes J Chien manufactured at the same time, this would not dent nearly as easily as on of those.
     This little globe is probably new old stock, it was probably in the estate of an educator who never got around to using this one. It's in as good a shape as anything made of metal that is 90 years old. There is no rust, next to no scuffs, and absolutely zero dents. Add in the box and the advert and it's a nice item to own.  I paid $215 plus shipping, certainly near the top of the market but I did not mind because for me the excellent condition warranted it.
     Some of you are going to look at this item and say, ......are you nuts, it's a toy...!!  Well no.....no it's not , at least Denoyer Geppert didn't market it that way in the 1920's.  At left is the original insert, on the other side are the assembly instructions for this globe.
     Denoyer Geppert is a sometimes overlooked player on the globe landscape, headquartered in Chicago, like most late 19th to 20th century globe makers they don't get the attention they deserve.  A fellow blogger Andrew Clayman has written what I would consider The most in depth article about Denoyer Geppert that I have ever run across. I urge you to follow the link and check it out.  As always thank you and please don't hesitate to comment below.

Restoring a globe professionally, a conversation with Matthew W. Jones of Green Dragon Bindery

    

 I receive quite a few emails related to restoration and conservation.  Many people it seems are curious about a lot of the same questions. namely, where do I go to have a globe restored? Or what's involved?  More detailed questions also follow me, and I'll tell ya, I really don't know all that much about globe restoration because I've had exactly zero globes restored in my 10 years as a collector.  So why is that?  Well partly it is because I try to seek out globes that are not in need of restoration, also the range of globes I have so far added to my collection are not generally rare enough or hard enough to find in an acceptable unrestored condition. That will change as I seek older globes so nows a great time to learn some more.
     When it comes to restoration I think it's important to go into the process with eyes wide open, and to facilitate that understanding I've called in an expert.  Matthew Jones is a professional who's specialty is globes, he has worked at The Green Dragon Bindery in Shrewsbury Massachusetts since 1993.  As a graduate of U Mass ( 1991) he has a childhood love of all things old,  I think many of us can relate.  He has tackled more than 500 antique globes in his 25 years at the Bindery he does everything from wood and metal work to restoring old paper, and varnish.  Below we delve into the questions most commonly encountered on this blog.


1. What makes a globe a good candidate for restoration?

Desire, rarity, personal or family history, and sometimes historical elements.

For years, my ideal globe was an 18 inch W.&A.K. Johnston terrestrial from 1907.

It was pre-WWI and showed the countries, provinces and territories as they were before the Treaty of Versailles changed it all. This is an era of history I read a lot in, so this globe is a natural reference.

2.  Conversely, are there factors that make a globe not a good restoration candidate?

Yes, the better the original condition and more untouched, the better the restoration. Amateur restorations and touch ups make my job harder, less attractive and more expensive. Sometimes, a globe can get really cooked too. Sadly, a great many globes have spent times in damp basements, and burning hot attics. Excessive moisture damage or finishes peeling from heat can be a problem. There is a very fine line between old chippy vanish and a finish that is pulling away paper and destroying the cartographic imprint. Real structural damage is a challenge as well. So, if the globe has a dent or ponk, the smaller the better, and hopefully in a less detailed area like the ocean. Also, pre-1900 globes in the US tend to be better made than later ones. By 1930 the construction quality declined significantly. Later globes just don’t have good materials and are that much more difficult to restore convincingly and reasonably. There is a sweet spot in smaller globes made between 1890-1930, generally 3 inch to 10 inch. These are desirable for many reasons, not the least of which is display options.

 3.  Many people familiar with auto restoration talk of " over restoration ". Additionally many categories of antiques especially furniture are  adversely affected by restoration,  how are globes different?  Am I using the wrong word,  should I be saying conservation, instead of restoration?

Globes are in a weird place. Part map, part instrument, part furniture. Whenever possible, I only wax and polish the furniture. Collectors respect original finishes and patina. The metal (brass or iron) is often out of alignment and/or missing small parts. These, help keep the globe in place and spinning safely. I restore and replace brass parts all the time. I keep absolutely as much original material as possible. I have extensive photos, measurements and drawings of original parts. Raw, bent, crusty brass usually gets ultrasonically cleaned and straightened. If it’s just got a bit of tarnish, it can be left alone. Stay away from the buffing wheel and compounds. As for the orb itself with its plaster, paper, paints and varnish? I remove the varnish (or shellac, or lacquer, or sizing finish) only when it is filthy and ruins the maps use and beauty. My plan there is to bring the varnish back to a look, and feel that the globe might have had in its first 25-50 years of life. The founder of this book bindery Skip Carpenter and my father Bill Jones both restore antique automobiles. I get it.

Conservation usually means consolidation, as invisibly as possible without any additions or changes. Generally small amounts of archival materials are used here.

Restoration is conservation, with small changes to try and bring an object back to its original state. Generally, slightly larger amounts of archival materials are used. 

All things being equal, everyone wants a near perfect old globe. Then they want a solid, maybe dark, but untouched or barely touched globe. Then a cleaned but respectfully conserved and restored globe. Then a damaged but unrestored globe of note. Then a basket case, with previous amateur work.  Values reflect all these states. Collectors and institutions all seem to want legible globes.

     Here Matthew has provided photographs of  a rare James Wilson 9 inch globe that in addition to being quite darkened over time, suffered a pronounced ding to it's surface that affected not only the map but the plaster underneath. These photos show what is possible in the hands of an expert restorer.

Before Restoration

After restoration

Map gores carefully removed

 Notice in the after photo not only is the dent completely gone but the surface of the orb and horizon paper are clean, evenly toned, and remarkably more legible. Also the map colors as the globe maker intended come through. A far more desirable globe from a collecting standpoint.

 4.  What are the most common problems encountered with antique globes ,and

 how are they delt with?   

See above. Filth, grease stains, smoke damage, structural damage, bent or broken metal parts, lost parts or lost sections of paper. 

 5.   Some globes seem to be better survivors than others, in my mind Loring/Joslin falls into this category.  Were some globe better made? Or were there just so many more of some manufactured , and therefore  more survived?

Joslin/ Loring is a prime example of a well made and plentiful globe manufactured in Boston for almost 50 years. Good hardwoods, beautiful turnings, quality brass, and crisply printed cartography, updated with the changes of the time. Also, most if not all are clearly dated.

     Slightly later globes that are decent, are the imported Scottish Johnston’s which were leased out to many US based selling firms. The 18 inch Andrew’s pictured is a transitional globe, made by Johnston, sold by Andrew’s, who had just been purchased by Weber Costello. The one weak spot in these is often the horizon paper. Lesser quality paper, mounting and finishes leave these dark and chippy. I have a small number of accurate facsimiles for repair of these horizons, or replacement. 

      **IN these pictures notice the careful attention to the cartouche and close color matching.**

Cartouche before

Andrews 18 inch orb

Cartouche after

             

6.  How would a new restoration client go about having work done at Green Dragon Bindery?  Do you send detailed photos, and a description  of what work you'd like to have done?  Or do you send the globe in for estimating?

Email is a good start, with photographs of the globe in question in natural light. A few photographs focusing on the damaged areas and one of the cartouche showing the makers name.

info@greendragonbindery.com  508-842-8250 

and we are on Facebook as Green Dragon Bindery

 7.  What sets Green Dragon Bindery apart from others?

Love of the material, experience, reasonable rates and turn around times and artistic integrity.  We are also prepared to tackle a lot of different challenges. As long as its paper, pasteboard, leather or a small wooden object, we are ready and willing to restore it. If we can’t, we’ll say so.



**All photos in this post are used with permission of, and are property of The Green Dragon Bindery**

The globe collector market part 3: Neal Auction Company winter estate sale

     By now, if you've been a reader of this blog you will know that a lot of the fun, as well as the frustration collecting globes comes from the hunt !   Tracking down these treasures that we seek is a delightful challenge often involving sifting through the endless dross that is ebay.
     Once in a while, every couple of years or so a collection of exceptional globes will make it's way onto the auction stage. This is just what happened this past weekend at the Neal Auction Company in New Orleans.  Amongst the 600 plus lots that made up their Winter estate auction were a fine collection of antique globes, a dozen or so prime examples.  This was an excellent opportunity to find an exceptional globe for ones collection or as an auction observer , a great chance to gage the state of the market for antique globes.
     Below I want to highlight 5 globes from this sale so let's begin:

    Here we have an excellent example of a Joslin/ Loring full mount globe, in the more unusual 9.5 inch size this globe is in excellent preservation and shows off the best of the Boston globe maker's skill.   This example is dated at the cartouche as 1866, a great example of the USA just after the civil war and just before Alaska was being added to the union, in fact it is shown as Russian America on this globe This globe was hammered sold at $2100  plus buyers premium. A fine example, and a respectable price for this globe.





To the left you will see an exceptional example of Joslin's school globe from the 1870's. This is an early version of this globe as Joslin made this 6 inch globe on ebonized stand from the 1870's into the 1890's. They are never dated, you need to know your geography to estimate the date. Condition again of this example is excellent. It brought a hearty $1600 plus premium.  I think that price just goes to show that exceptional condition means everything in the antiques business. I would expect more mediocre examples to bring 1/2 of this price.

Ah.....perhaps my favorite globe in this auction a near mint Geographic educator puzzle globe.  So what price perfection, well in this case an eye popping $1400 plus premium.  Ask yourself, how many of there exist in a complete state....?  Now of those how many still have the box....?   I own this same globe but without box, and with one missing puzzle piece.  These are tough to find in this exceptional condition, again a testament to condition.

  I might have spoken too soon, my white whale. The Andrews 8 inch globe pictured here is an example of the A H. Andrews transition to C. F. Weber.  I bid on one globe in this auction, and this is the globe I bid on.  Did I win....?  No sorry to say this fine globe still eludes me.  I was the under bidder, and if the lucky winner reads this congratulations, you have an exceptional globe!  This particular example was hammered down at $1100 plus premium.  This globe was in fine condition, save for a dime sized abrasion at the north pole. The coloring, and presence of both red and blue isothermal lines are a testament to this globes condition.  I've had 3-4 opportunities to own an Andrews 8 inch globe, and once again I fell short............until next time.

Last but not least I want to showcase a wonderful Hammond's 8 inch globe. Made in the 1920's it is an easily obtainable globe, Finding one in great original condition is key and this example fits the bill. Here is an 80 plus year survivor in wonderful preservation that was sold at a reasonable $350.  Id say the bargain of the globe auction.  It was paired as a lot with another smaller 6 inch Hammonds globe in not so nice shape but even on it's own this was a very fair price to add a great globe to your collection.




So some final thoughts concerning the Neal estate auction.
      Firstly I must say as a first time bidder and an unknown to them, I was treated very well. I had several specific questions about several lots and each time my queries were answered with complete information, and extra pictures. The staff at Neal Auction Company made it very easy to participate, a class act all around.
      Secondly, groups of fine globes as were assembled here are rare at auction, these sales offer the singular best chance a collector has to obtain those rarely obtainable gems that elevate a collection.
   Third, The auction results reviewed here show that great items, that is items in exceptional original condition will always bring high prices. This is true despite outside economic factors, or general taste changes in antique markets. If you buy the best condition you can afford you will not get hurt.
    Finally, I am told that the April 2017 auction will feature some more globes so we will have to keep our eyes open for that event, here is the link direct to Neal Auction Company




****All photographs in this post are courtesy of Neal Auction Company, used with their permission, a special thanks to Neal Alford, and Marc Fagan****

Updated globe most wanted list

    I want to share a list with pictures of 4 globes that have so far eluded me.   I'm going to include pictures when available.  As they say a picture is worth 1000 words! Admittedly the globes listed below are tough to find.   All pictures provided below are my own or publicly accessible examples used by me with permission.

1.   Holbrook 3 inch  or 5 inch hinged globe,  Both sizes were manufactured, below is a picture of the       3 inch version, Schedler, and Andrews also made hinged school globes. I think a hinged school globe is a must in telling the story of the globe in America

2.  Andrews terrestrial globe,  I'm looking for one very nice example of an Andrews terrestrial globe either full mount, or offset mounted,  8 inch,  3 inch,  or 12 inch  just looking for one really nice example  below I have a picture of a nice 8 inch offset mounted Andrews. I missed the perfect one a few months back on eBay but it went to a good home of another collector.......the hunt continues
     ****update 7/18/17:  I was able to add an exceptional example of the AH Andrews companies work to my collection a superb 8 inch example ***

3.  Trippensee tellurion,  You know they come and go all the time on eBay but I just have not found the right mix of age and condition, I'm looking for a wood and brass one probably pre 1935. I'll share a picture below. I'd ideally want the original box and the instruction manual also.  I'm not asking for a lot .......am I .......?

4. A Fitz globe, The most prominent female globe maker , more at this link: Ellen Eliza Fitz, the Fitz globes are a hard to find item, harder still in presentable condition, I've had few if any chances but time is on my side.... I have recently obtained an original Fitz globe manual, printed 1878, I just need the globe to go with it!

I  make this list as part advertisement, certainly but also as an exercise in focus for myself. Keep your eyes on the prize and all.  However if you have or know someone with one of these four beauties who wants to sell, or maybe trade....??  let me know just drop me an email. 

eBay sniping..........sometimes when you play with fire.........

     Well..... you win some and you loose some , that's eBay .  This past week I had something happen that was pretty amazing . I lost an auction by 4 cents thats right $0.04 !!  I guess I always knew it could happen, I just never figured it would happen.   Some losses sting worse than others, Many times you really don't know if the person who beat you was wiling to go a lot higher or they just one by a whisker. But in this case when the max bid is less than a full bid increment you know exactly how close you came.  It's the knowing I think that bothers me.
     Now this was a nice little globe I was bidding on, not terribly high prices but a nice item to own here is a screen shot of the actual auction page.

(my high bid $106.97........almost..)

     The globe in question was a 4 inch Denoyer Geppert teaching globe. A very small tin globe with simplified geography, and a nifty movable meridian with which to easily manipulate the globe during class.  The idea being that each student would have one of these and follow along with the teacher on a larger model.  These being small, inexpensive and tin they did not survive in great numbers, and often times they were dented or scraped or rusted. These were produced starting in the 1920's and continued for more than a decade, this was also an early example 1928 or so.  This auction example was a bit dirty, but otherwise in very nice shape.  Congratulations to the lucky owner , you have a tiny treasure!
     So of course I was sniping, that is sending in a bid at the very last second, so that there is no time to react. The idea of course cuts both ways in that when you snipe you yourself have no time to react either. Now given this will I stop sniping.......?   Ah no!  it's still the only way I'll bid on an item.  It's still always best to bid strong BUT bid at the very last second so nobody can react, it takes the emotion out of it, and when you mix emotion with money the results are often troubled.  So sniping removes the emotional aspect of " auction fever" , always a good thing!

A look back at 2016, a banner year for this collector!

     I started this blog in the spring of 2014 and now 2 1/2 years in and almost 100 posts later I think it's time to take a breath and look back on this past year from a globe collector standpoint.
     This has been a banner year as a collector I have made some wonderful additions and some careful subtractions all in all 7 new globes entered my collection and three globes have exited. Rarely do so many globes enter, and rarely do so many globes exit. A lot of changes for someone who considers finding two globes in any given year good.  I'm going to walk through these changes in the hopes that I learn along the way.
      The year started out on a high note with the acquisition of an exceptional example of Rand McNally's work  through a NY auction, labeled AP Mott Syracuse it was in reality an 1891 McNally globe with a school supply house over label.   This globe posed an interesting problem I was fortunate enough to already own a very nice early Rand McNally so a decision had to be made, do I sell or keep two essentially similar globes....?  Well the realities of space limitations won out and I sold on my other copy of this globe.  Very recently I have discovered that American Globe and School supply ( Seneca Falls) most likely made the stand and horizon ring for this beauty.  The horizon ring is exceptional on this model, a great way to start 2016!


    All was not quiet for long as March rolled around the eBay gods worked their magic and a very nice Geographic educator globe came my way after some spirited bidding, this was a globe that had been a near miss for me for a number of years so it was nice to finally add this petite treasure to my collection.   I am missing the " Columbia" puzzle piece to this globe if you have an extra or have a second educator for parts, drop me a line.






     May would bring with it a rare event for this globe hunter, the chance to score a treasure in my own back yard. A local auction house near Rochester NY had this exceptional globe from the Star Eraser company of Seneca Falls NY in it's upcoming auction.  It is rare that I get the chance to actually see and handle a globe before I buy it but this one was an easy 45 minutes from my house so on preview day I was off to examine this item.  I bid remotely via telephone and did get into a bit of a back and forth with another bidder but I was determined, and in the end quite glad that I was able to own this globe.  This globes provenance included having been part of the collection at Rochester's Strong Museum, a world renowned children's museum!



The next addition to my collection in June 2016 was certainly my favorite. I received as a gift a splendid peerless 6 inch school globe.  This one looked to be unused, it's colors vibrant, and it's metal untarnished. Just a magnificent item. Made remarkably more so by the fact that it was from the 1920's  quite a survivor! These were sold by the thousands for schools to hand out in geography class. I liken it to the cheap plastic recorder I received in music class. Destined to be abused and disrespected this ephemeral globe was not meant to survive.



     August brought with it another eBay find and a mystery as well.  Again after spirited bidding I was the owner of this very nice 8 inch full mount Weber Costello globe.  A very nice globe in it's own right if it were only that, but wait there's more!  The story did not end there because this globe holds a mystery.  This globe has the most curious over label I've ever encountered. It is over labeled for the   (A. H. Andrews company)  Of course Andrews sold their globe making to Weber in the mid 1890's but this was not the demise of the Andrews firm.  From the ashes of Bankruptcy rose a reorganized Andrews, it was this company in the late 1920's that was back at the school furniture game, and along with school furniture globes are not far behind.
     My research surmises that much like any other school supply house of the time Weber Costello was all to happy to sell an over labeled product to Andrews and thus a "new" Andrews globe was created.   This is the only one of these such globes I've seen come up, I'm sure more are out there to be found.

     September brought with it quite a nice find in the wilds of New Hampshire, an estate find Gilman Joslin 6 inch globe dating to the late 1880's a remarkable globe for it's overall condition as well as the great story associated with it's arrival in my collection.   This was Joslin's attempt to make an inexpensive globe for public school use, and indeed they found success with this model.  The orb is quite detailed for 6 inches, and the mounting being a less expensive painted wood instead of stained as was Joslin's traditional base.




      If I had found only 1/2 of the great globes that I did this past year I would have chalked 2016 up as a successful collecting year, but it was a banner year instead as autumn drew to a close one more item was to make it's way into my humble collection.  Probably the most significant find for me of 2016 was a serendipitous accident.  Gilman Joslin's 1846 globe is by a substantial margin my oldest globe. I wrote extensively about this globe recently so I wont belabor the point.  Now this is an 1846 edition, I have just recently found out about a dated 1844 edition that would be significant because of the treatment of Texas on that slightly earlier edition. More research will have to be done.


     OK so that's the hit parade, certainly if every year were as fruitful on the hunt as 2016 then I'd be writing you from a more cramped house, with an angrier spouse!   These 7 globes as a group represent quite a nice collection on their own.  Along with these gems I was also able to find a dizzying amount of globe related catalogs, manuals, and texts. These too are very important ( well at least to me)
      I had a few near misses, and a couple of outright regrets on the collecting front this year that I think are in some ways more important than the scores made.  Most notably earlier this year an exceptionally rare James Wilson 1811 globe trotted itself onto eBay and I was too blind to see it's potential. It was in a substantially shabby condition, but all the critical pieces were present for a successful restoration.  It is this second part that I missed, I did not see the potential in this globe.  Someone smarter than I did see, and I'm sure they have an incredible treasure to show for their knowledge.
     Another missed opportunity came also on eBay ( notice a pattern here) when a rare  5 inch Schedler hinged globe came up for bid.  This particular gem was in remarkable preservation and I missed out to a much more experienced buyer.  At least I was in the hunt on this one bidding strong, but not strong enough. I was not even smart enough to bid on the Wilson globe mentioned above. I watched that one for days only to let it slip by without even a chase........

     I am by nature quite a conservative buyer, rarely do I like to go out on a limb when buying and this sometimes causes me to miss things that I might otherwise like to own.
     Often there is  the matter of cost of acquisition that is not talked about all that much on this blog. I believe that many readers who stumble onto these pages dismiss globe collecting because they think acquiring great globes is far more expensive than it is. ( I refer all of you to my time vs money post)   I will say that the 7 globes I highlighted in this post cost a combined $3,650 to purchase, that is total cost, plus buyers premiums, plus all shipping charges and taxes included.  A substantial sum to many, a drop in the bucket to others. In the context of these globes however I think this was a quite reasonable price to have paid for these great globes. Buying these at a completely retail setting might have cost double that amount or even more. Am I justifying my spending a bit? Maybe but that works out to $70 a week or just over $300 a month.  We all know people who spend $300 or more on vices, or entertainment monthly. Globes to me are both!  Granted most years I spend closer to 1/2 this sum so this hobby is still far less expensive than collecting art, or many other categories of antiques.  Of course as ant collector will tell you past the dollar sum of collecting it's the hunt for these treasures that is the most thrilling part.....!



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A great globe related book find..............or is it a catalog...........?

     OK,  so I've been looking for one of these books for quite a while. It is a publication that amounts to  essentially a 200 plus page ad for the AH Andrews company.  It's title, misleading and not reader friendly;  "A teachers guide to illustration: A manual to accompany Holbrook school apparatus "
     What is that title about.......?   Well as I mentioned it's a well disguised ad for all things Andrews. This is the twelfth edition, also I believe the last edition published from (1873).
     So why is this important...? Well it's a great reference to show how Andrews kept using the Holbrook name, many years after acquisition, and it's a great way to see how advertising was done in the mid 19th century.  It's quite a thing really to read through a book that is disguised essentially as a series of ads one after another for all manner of school apparatus disguised as a teaching guide.

Quite the shabby volume?

   So this is it a small rectangular volume about 8 inches by 5 inches hard bound with a guilt edge.  Inside A H. Andrews peppers the reader with all manner of come ons in an effort to lure your business for it's globes, teaching aids, and so forth. This book is packed with many illustrations that show the various apparatus including globes of course. In fact as a " teachers guide" there is a complete handbook to globes encompassing 83 of the total 211 pages.
     So this tome serves as both globe catalog as well as globe handbook for the combined Andrews/ Holbrook company circa 1873.   If nothing else it is a great " look behind the curtain" at the AH Andrews early years, the very start of Chicago globe making .

     These photos show the catalogue portion of this guide book,  I have obviously focused on the globe offerings but there are small write ups covering several other items in the Andrews repertoire.
    The last photo shows the price list for 1873, this I find fascinating because it is a snap in time. It really gives us insight into what these items cost 150 years ago. I found it strange that the Holbrook's 5 inch globe was $2.25,  but their 6 inch globe was more than double at $5.00 why such a price disparity .......?
     Questions like this are reason enough to find and read this great little guide.   I'll tell you the bit I have read was  pretty good for a sales text.  whoever wrote this was really trying to be informative, and not boring.   What good is a boring advertisement ?
      As I write this post I am completely aware of the fact that there are probably 8 other people in the world who even care that this book exists. Of those 8 probably zero will ever stumble across this post.......oh well perhaps I'll inspire a ninth!



I know your dying to know where you can get your hands on a copy of this wonderful gem!   Fear not!   Amazon.com  has got you covered with a reprint copy $26 hardback  $11 soft cover. Mine is original and was quite a lucky find.  I'll tell you that story now.  I was browsing Abe Books as I do from time to time looking for globe related items and I found buried in the deep reaches of the
site this copy for sale from Galloway Ireland! So I hurried up and ordered lest some other globe afficinado snatch it out from under me.  Truth be told it probably sat in that booksellers inventory for YEARS until I stumbled by. If you too want an original text then  Murray Hudson has a copy of this tome as well and here I that link : Guide to Illustration his edition is a bit older 1868.

     Thank you dear reader for letting me share this little globe tid bit with you I hope you are enjoying your hunt for globe treasures as much as I am!  

Great vintage globes to start a collection

     So let's say you've stumbled upon my blog because you want to start collecting globes, or perhapse you've purchased an old globe and now you're interested to know what else is out there and what you should look for starting out.  I want to use this post to try and show a few examples of great beginner globes.  Globes that would appeal to someone starting out, as well as globes that stand on their own as collection worthy items to build off as you embark on starting a collection.
     Now admittedly this list will be biased and certainly the most important rule still applies, that is buy what you like !!  With that said I want to attempt to lead you down the road with a few examples of globes that I think will stand the test of time as well as impress your friends when they ask about your new collection. ( my friends stopped asking years ago, they don't have 3 hours for a globe lecture) .  Anyhow here are a few favorites you should keep your eye out for.

12 inch Replogle starlight 1940's

1. Replogle Starlight globe,  Replogle has been making a version of the Starlight for over 1/2 a century it's a Replogle classic.  They started manufacture in the 1940's and I believe it continues today.  So what makes it special, well firstly it's a black oceans globe. Secondly it's readily available on eBay, and Etsy for generally $100 to $200 so it's a great way to add a black ocean globe to your collection for a sum of money that won't break the bank. That said it is an honest collectible globe.  It has desirability that will only increase over time.

 

Illuminated Replogle Starlight

      What to look for when shopping, well  condition is key, buy the best condition you  can find. Be particularly aware of chrome  pitting, and equator tape missing.  Secondly  the older the better, try finding a nice  example from the late 40's or early 50's .  It's  a great alternative to the more expensive Weber Costello black ocean  globes out there, but it has the same great look!  Now one last thought,  these were made as an electric illuminated globe also. They will cost more,  but finding one of those in nice shape is a really nice " move up " purchase  for an intermediate collector.

late 1950's Replogle Starlight

2. Rand McNally Art globe:  The Art globe is one of those globes that everyone who has spent any time around vintage globes at all is probably at least a bit familiar with .  Much like the Starlight it was produced for many years and in many styles different sizes and different bases are the hallmark of this great globe.   How do you know your looking at an Art globe? well the cartouche will be in the shape of a clam shell, and there will be several artistic embellishments throughout the globe in the oceans of ships and sea serpents that add artistic interest to this above the geography displayed.

Small 9 inch  1940's

     Rand McNally produced the Art  globe forever starting in the late 30's  and running through the 1970's at least. That means there are Art  globes out there to fit any taste or budget. Collectors should look for  pre war examples in excellent shape. Good examples from the 30's  or 40's can be had for $100 to $300 depending on rarity and  configuration. Rand McNally even made a floor model of this  popular globe, Art Deco bases of glass or Bakelite are most  valuable, but there is something for everyone here.

stepped glass base

  

Late 1930's  glass base

  Worth noting is the fact that these globes are readily available so as   a collector you should hold out for the best one you can afford, and   I'll tell you on eBay you can score quite a bargain on a nice Art    globe if you pay attention. Especially    on an under priced Buy it Now listing.  Look  for strong bright original colors. The one on  the glass base pictured at left shows the best  original color of my 3 examples. It was  supposed to be colorful to draw the eye and  make it as much about art as geography.










3. Crams silver ocean globes:  I'll admit I do not show the George F Cram company a lot of love on this blog. I ignore them quite frankly. Well that has to change because they did indeed make some very interesting globes that should be considered. At the top of the list are their short lived but impressive silver ocean globes.   Crams got their start in the early 1930's and as a company entering a crowded field, they had to be different. They were not shy about diversifying their offerings away from the traditional. One of those ideas were their line of silver oceans globes. A short lived offering lasting 1/2 a decade or so these are some of the most collectible Cram globes on the market.  Given their rarity you would think they would be expensive, and mint condition pristine examples are several hundred dollars for sure. However a perfectly nice example with minimal scuffs  and a nice bright finish can still be had in the $150 to $250 range.  Not a beginner globe but certainly a strong intermediate globe; the centerpiece of a respectable collection.
     They look so different than any other globes out there. They will appeal wildly to some, and turn off just as many.  So if you decide that you want one here's what to look for. The silver oceans themselves were prone to scratching. This is one reason they were taken off the market, the fact that they were not as robust as other color combinations. Also the equator tape can become damaged or parts will be missing. I would say all else being equal I'd rather have a silver finish in great shape with a bit of missing tape rather than the other way around. Finally these came in a wide variety of bases the metal bases were prone to scratches as they were simply painted. However I'd argue that the metal works better for the whole look than the wooden base, in my opinion.  The vast majority of these were 12 inch models. If you want a rarer version find a 10 inch model.  eBay gets it's fair share of these so it will be reasonably easy to find a nice one if you are patient. Dealers try to also have these on hand as they are popular, and getting more so.

4.  Weber Costello 8 inch globes:  OK so you've got a great black oceans globe and perhaps you've found one or two other globes that speak to you. What next?  Well you need the quintessential vintage globe you need something that will sit on your bookshelf and scream " serious antique!!"  Well you need one of these:  A Weber Costello 8 inch school globe. These were sold en mass to schools, and families alike, small enough to be easily moved around the classroom they were a staple of classrooms and homes from 1910 to 1940 they are what many people think of when they imagine what an old globe should look like. It's the tripod claw foot base that puts these in another time and place.   Weber Costello imported G W Bacon gores, and then retailed this globe as well as over labeling it and sending it through every school supply house they could think of.  It came offset mounted, full meridian mounted, and exceptionally rare it even came full mounted.  Below left I am showing a Weber Costello with Denoyer Gepphart over label from the late 1920's at bottom right is a Weber Costello Peerless from about 1910, this is an exceptionally early mount, all are 8 inch in diameter.   So what to look for, as with any globe condition rules, these will be the most costly of the 4 globes featured, and will vary the most based on condition. expect to pay between $275 and $400 for a nice example. Exceptional examples might be double that.  These come up on eBay monthly so patients will pay off and a nice one will find it's way to you in time. These are some of my favorites!

           
I want to summarize this information by saying that these are just 4 examples of great globes that a beginner or intermediate collector should be on the lookout for, there are two dozen other globes that fit that category also. I had to pick four of my favorites to showcase. Buy what you like and you'll never really go wrong.  It's all about the hunt for those serious collectors ............
         

****Picture credits,  all but one picture in this post comes from Dee at Upstarts, and Carolyn at Vintage Cals, both wonderful Etsy shops, both have links active in the links section of the blog, a big thank you to you both!!  The 1910 Weber pic is with permission of Purple mouse vintage also an etsy shop****




   

Some great globe related reading

     One of the goals of this site when I set out to start blogging was to try and bring together as much globe related information as I could. In this post I want to catalog some great links to articles and other works that are important to the history of globes in America.  To that end I'll start my list, I will periodically add, and occasionally subtract so come back and re check the list from time to time,  here are a few great links I've found, please drop me a line if you find anything great that should be shared here.

1.  Great article about James Wilson,   This is a great historical look at Mr. Wilson and his quest to make the first globes in America.

2.Restoring a Wilson globe , behind the scenes,  This is a fascinating look at the restoration of an 1811 James Wilson globe including 16 pictures of the process

3.The Osher Map Library's 3d globe project,  Now this is exciting, and this link is only a preview.  The Osher Map library in Portland Maine is digitizing in a 3d format all of their globe collection, some 300 pieces in all.  When this project is complete I will update this link!

4. Murray Hudson James Wilson globes 1831 This is a video produced by Murray Hudson a few years back. Focusing on James Wilson and a pair of 1831 globes. I had the pleasure of visiting Mr Hudson's stores ( he has 3) in Halls TN a couple of years back.  If you go know that it is a treck, and make an appointment before hand.  Other than that it is exceptionally well worth it.

The delight of building a collection of small globes

OK.....OK...I'll admit it I'm obsessed with small globes ( those 8 inches or less in diameter)  partly born from necessity;  that being I'm running out of display space.  Also  I'm just in love with the uncommon, and small globes are much less common than their 12 inch counterparts.   Five of the last six globes I've added to my collection are 8 inches or smaller in diameter.   For this collector good things do come in small packages.

A compendium of 19th century small globes

     Small globes in many cases were issued to or purchased for use by children. That's probably the main reason they are just not as abundant as 12 inch models.   The  appeal of small globes  comes into play when it comes to display space.  I have an exceptionally forgiving family, and this allows me to utilize about 400 square feet of our home to devote to a collection that currently numbers 22 globes and related ephemera. My wife does not want globes taking over the whole house and with two little ones I have to be fair to them as far as living in and enjoying just being kids, so small globes it is ( with some exceptions)

     I have to say though that there is just something great about a display of miniature worlds. This photo above spans 60 years of American globe production during the second half of the 19th century, and it could all fit comfortably on a single bookshelf! So what am I looking for when it comes to a small globe?  Well first and foremost condition, I preach condition constantly on this blog and It bears mentioning now, once again that it's better to buy a globe in great original condition rather than live with a damaged antique or spend hundreds or more repairing a globe. All things being equal a globe that is in great original condition will always be worth more than a globe that has been repaired to a similar condition.  The second thing I look for is who made it. Early makers or obscure makers will always be more desirable.  Schedler, Holbrook, Andrews, Rand McNally, they all made great globes that were as small as 3 inches in diameter.  Of course finding them..........that's another story.                      Something I've noticed regarding pricing for small worlds. All things being equal expect to pay a premium for a smaller globe, these globes are much harder to find and thus I generally expect a 20-50% premium price wise when they do turn up.