Description
The oceans are cream-colored, the geographical entities green, blue, pink and yellow, some with red outline. Coastlines are shaded with hatch marks. There is a figure-eight analemma. Dakota is one territory dating the globe prior to 1889 statehood. Oklahoma is shown in current form, but not labeled at all; it is shaded blue other than the far western Oklahoma panhandle, which is shaded pink. A broader western section, which would become Oklahoma Territory as formed by the Organic Act of 1890, is not indicated by color shading to distinguish it from the eastern section that remained Indian Territory after 1890. This is an indication that the globe was made prior to 1890. The Hawaiian Islands are called the Sandwich Isles with the notation, “Here Capt. Cook was killed 1779.” Antarctica is not shown, but a point near the South Pole is labeled “Capt. Weddell R.N. reached this point 1823.” The Great Wall of China is indicated by a solid line. Physical geography relating to temperate zones is indicated by lines showing the northern and southern “Limit of Wood,” “Limit of Grain,” “Limit of the Vine,” and “Limit of Bananas.” A north polar calotte is printed with an hour ring.
The globe has a trapezoidal printed cartouche for the New England School Furnishing Company of Boston. It is in the same style and placement as is found on extant Gilman Joslin labeled globes. Overall, the globe has identical cartography to extant Gilman Joslin 10-inch globes. Accordingly, it is attributed to Joslin as manufacturer, but marketed and sold as a school supply by the New England School Furnishing Company of Boston.
Gilman Joslin (1804-c. 1886), one of America’s most prolific globe makers, began making globes for Josiah Loring (1775-c. 1840) in 1837, and took over the business two years later. Loring had begun selling globes in 1832. He advertised that his globes were superior to British globes of the period. Yet early Loring globes were either imported from C. Smith & Sons, one of the leading British globe makers of the late Georgian period, or re-engraved versions of Smith & Sons globes. Gilman Joslin began as a wood turner and maker of looking glass mirrors. After taking over Loring´s business, he began producing globes under the Loring name and under his own name. Joslin set up a globe manufacturing facility in Boston and by 1850 had five workers. Gilman Joslin was joined by his son William B. Joslin in 1874 and the firm continued in operation as Gilman Joslin & Son until 1907.
Joslin & Son’s globe handbook states that their globes were useful for instructing students in geography and “[f]or library or office use [were] no less valuable, showing…at a glance, the true relative situations of Political and Geographical Divisions, Cities, etc., the world over.” The handbook also enumerated various “advantages” of Joslin globes:
“They may be depended upon as accurate, the plates having lately been revised to correspond with all recent political changes. All the maps are printed directly from copper plates, and are not lithographed. The meridians are accurately graduated. The varnish is warranted not to crack or peel off, a common failing. The stands are thoroughly and firmly fitted together, and the general workmanship throughout is of the first order.”
—Joslin’s Hand-Book, pp. 3-4
Trapezoidal Cartouche: 10 INCH TERRESTRIAL GLOBE./ NEW ENGLAND/ SCHOOL FURNISHING/ COMPANY,/ 31 Franklin St./ BOSTON.
Condition: Generally very good, recently professionally restored and revarnished, with the usual remaining expected light toning, wear and restorations to minor scattered cracks and abrasions. Overall retains a golden antique tone with bright colors. Stand generally very good with the usual wear.
References:
Dekker, Elly and van der Krogt, Peter. Globes from the Western World. London: Zwemmer, 1993. pp. 126, 140, 176.
How to Use a Globe, Joslin’s Terrestrial and Celestial Globes/ Joslin’s Hand-book to the Terrestrial and Celestial Globes. Gilman Joslin & Son, Manufacturers and Dealers, 5 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts: [n.d., but c. 1890], pp. 3-4.
Warner, Deborah Jean. “The Geography of Heaven and Earth,” Rittenhouse Journal of the American Scientific Instrument Enterprise, Vol. 2, No. 3. 1987. pp. 100-103.
Yonge, Ena L. A Catalogue of Early Globes, Library Series No. 6. American Geographical Society: 1968. pp. 37-38.
