George Glazer Gallery - Antique Globes - Cary Celestial Pocket Globe

Cary Celestial and Terrestrial Pocket Globes
Rare Pair in Fishskin Cases

As seen in Town & Country magazine (left): The magazine came to the gallery in search of "Posh Presents" and found our Cary Celestial Pocket Globe, which it put in a layout in the December 2000 issue.

John & William Cary
Rare Pair of Terrestrial & Celestial 3-Inch Pocket Globes
Full descriptions below
Price on Request

A pair of Cary pocket globes comprising a terrestrial globe and a celestial globe, each in a fitted fishskin case. Rather than issue the terrestrial globe with concave celestial gores of the northern and southern hemispheres applied to the inside of the case as was typically done by other British globe makers of the period, J. & W. Cary applied a map of the world in the time of ancient Rome, and a table of latitudes and longitudes for various cities. to the inside concave reserves of the case. They issued a companion celestial globe, with the interior of the case painted orange.

These two Cary globes were located separately from different sources, and now are offered as a pair.

Auction Reference: A similar pair of Cary pocket globes sold at Christies South Kensington, London for 10,755 pounds (including buyer's premium). which was approximately $19,700 at the exchange rate at that time. Lot Number 36, Sale Number 9819, April 8, 2004.

John & William Cary
3-Inch Celestial Pocket Globe in Fishskin Case (above, top two rows)
London: Late 18th Century

The celestial pocket globe, with wooden axis pins at the poles, having engraved and hand colored gores, set within a spherical conforming hinged papier mache fishskin-covered case, fitted with two hooks and eyes, the interior of the case lacquered orange as issued.

The celestial globe is comprised of twelve hand colored engraved paper gores, the equatorial graduated in degrees, the ecliptic graduated in days showing the names of the houses of the zodiac, the stars shown by magnitude, the constellations labeled and indicated by dotted colored lines (but not shown as figures), the word PRIZE painted in the Arctic circle.

A nearly identical globe, in the collection of the Duke of Windsor, was sold by Sothebys.

Cartouche: NEW CELESTIAL GLOBE Pubd. By J. & W. Cary, Strand. Marked at North Pole: PRIZE.

Condition: Generally very good, with only minor toning, wear, soiling, and chipping to original varnish layer. Case closes completely.

Read more about the Cary Family of Globemakers and Cartographers in our Guide to Globe Makers

John & William Cary
3-Inch Terrestrial Pocket Globe in Fishskin Case (above, bottom two rows)
London: c. 1791

The terrestrial globe with metal axis pins at the poles, having engraved and hand colored gores, set within a spherical conforming hinged papier mache case fishskin-covered case, fitted with two hooks and eyes, the interior of the case with engraved paper gores in each hemisphere, one with a map entitled The WORLD as known in CAESAR's Time/ agreeable to D'Anville, and the other interior with numerous place names arranged in a geometric grid in four quadrants with geographical coordinates entitled A TABLE/ OF/ Latitudes & Longitudes/ of Places not given/ on this/ GLOBE. Oceans colored light green, land masses in light green, pink, and cream tones, outlined in green and/or red. Tracks of explorers shown with blank lines. Interior map of the world in ancient Rome similarly colored.

Circular Cartouche Composed of Chain-linked Small Circles: CARY's/ Pocket/ GLOBE;/ agreeable/ to the latest/ DISCOVERIES/ LONDON/ Pubd by J & W Cary Strand April 1. 1791

Condition: Generally very good with the usual light toning, wear, soiling, and chipping to original varnish layer. Hinges reset. Case closes completely.

Read more about the Cary Family of Globemakers and Cartographers in our Guide to Globe Makers