Cary & Cruchley 15-Inch Floor Globe
Mahogany Stand, c. late 1860s

Handsome Cruchley/Cary 15-Inch Terrestrial Floor Globe

detail: carraige

detail: U.S.A.

detail: cartouche

detail: western hemisphere detail: eastern hemisphere
detail: top detail: stand

detail: compass

15-Inch Terrestrial Floor Globe
G.F. Cruchley, successor to Cary Family, London: c. late 1860s
Mahogany stand
39 inches high; 20.5 inches diameter horizon band
Price on Request

A handsome 15-inch terrestrial floor globe by G.F. Cruchley, successor to the Cary family, generally regarded as the greatest British globe makers of the late Georgian period. The fine stand has rich turnings with carved acanthus. Globes frequently are made with stands in the style of earlier periods. This unusual stand was made in the Regency taste popular in London the 1820s.
The terrestrial globe within polar brass hour discs, in full graduated brass meridian, the horizon edged in red paint with hand-colored engraved paper ring showing degrees of amplitude and azimuth, compass directions, days and months of the year, names of the signs of the zodiac, and an equation of time; on mahogany tripod stand in the Regency taste, the horizon supported by four mahogany quadrants joined with pairs of quarter-round brackets, the baluster standard richly carved with acanthus, the downswept legs with rich acanthus carving enclosing pairs of bosses, joined by compass stretcher with glazed round wooden compass case enclosing a paper compass card and magnetized metal needle; ending in scrolled feet with pairs of bosses on ceramic casters.

Terrestrial globe in tones of cream and olive, with some outlining of geographical entities in various colors. Detailed cartography. Western United States shown with various names, though not clearly distinguished as regions, territories, or states: "MINNESOTA, NEBRASKA, KANSAS, COLORADO, INDY TY, TEXAS, WASHINGTON, OREGON, NEVADA, UTAH, N. MEXICO, CALIFORNIA."

The celebrated Cary family of cartographers and globe makers produced some of the greatest late Georgian globes. The firm was started in the late 18th Century by John Cary, who often worked in partnership with his brother William Cary, a scientific instrument maker. The Cary brothers moved their business to 86 St. James's Street in about 1820, leaving the premises at 181 Strand to John Cary's sons George (c. 1788-1859) and John Jr. (1791 - 1852). They produced a variety of globes under the name G. & J. Cary from 1821 to about 1850. In 1850, George Frederick Cruchley, a map seller, took over a portion of the Cary business and produced maps and globes from 1850 to about 1876.

Cartouche: CRUCHLEY'S/ NEW/ TERRESTRIAL GLOBE/ From the most recent Authorities,/ EXHIBITING THE DISCOVERIES AND EQUATORIAL/ AFRICA, NORTH POLE,/ AND the new SETTLEMENTS & Divisions of/ AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND,/ CALIFORNIA, TEXAS, &c./ LONDON/ C.F. CRUCHLEY, MAP-SELLER, GLOBE MAKER & PUBLISHER/ 81, FLEET STREET/

Compass Signed: J. & W. CARY/ STRAND LONDON

Condition: Generally very good with the usual expected light scattered surface wear, staining, soiling, fading, toning, and abrasions, all restored. Greatest wear at equator, resulting in minor losses in South America at equatorial region. Overall has a nice rich tone, very readable. Stand generally very good with minor restorations.

References:

Dekker, Elly and Peter van der Krogt.Globes from the Western World. London: Zwemmer, 1993.

Fordham, Sir Herbert George. John Cary, Engraver, Map, Chart and Print-Seller and Globe-Maker. Cambridge University Press, 1925. Reprinted Kent, England: Wm. Dawsons & Sons, 1976.

Lamb, Tom and Jeremy P. Collins, eds. The World In Your Hands. London: Christie's, 1994.


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