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Globe, American, Joslin, Terrestrial World, 6-Inch Table Globe, Pedestal Stand, Boston, 1846 (Sold)

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Gilman Joslin
6-Inch Terrestrial Table Globe
Boston: 1846
Black walnut stand
9.5 inches high, 6 inch diameter base

The terrestrial globe in brass uncalibrated half meridian at 23 1/2 degrees, raised on a turned walnut pedestal stand with central baluster standard and dish base. This model of globe and stand is called the “6 Inch Semi Frame” and described in a Joslin catalogue as “adapted to individual beginners and others not desiring the details of a large globe. It is a most fitting and useful present to any beginner in Geography.”

Product description continues below.

Description

The globe is surmounted by a printed northern hour circle polar calotte numbered I to XII twice; the equatorial graduated in degrees, hours and minutes; the ecliptic graduated in days of the houses of the zodiac with symbols of each. There is a figure-eight analemma in the Pacific Ocean.  Oceans are cream colored. Geographical entities are cream or shades of green or tan, and with thick green outlining. Numerous rivers west of the Mississippi are indicated. Cities west of the Mississippi include St. Louis, Santa Fe, Houston, San Francisco, and “St. Diego.” Texas is labeled, as well as Oregon Territory, New Albion, L. Timpanogos, L. Salado, and New California. The Baja California is “Old California” and Alaska is “Russian America.” Antarctica is largely unmapped and labeled “Antarctic Ocean,” reflecting geographic knowledge at that time, with a few small stretches of coastline and a notation of the point reached by the expedition of Captain Weddell.

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 (issued later than the offered Joslin globe) 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

Cartouche: JOSLIN’S/ Six Inch/ Terrestrial Globe,/ Containing the latest Discoveries./ BOSTON/ Gilman Joslin./ 1846/ Drawn and Engraved by W.B. Annin.

Condition: Generally very good, nice color, recently professionally restored, including restoration of small cracked area, now with light toning, wear, handling. Base very good with light wear and shrinkage. Set screw connecting meridian to base replaced.

References:

Dekker, Elly and Peter van der Krogt. Globes from the Western World. Zwemmer, London: 1993. pp. 126, 140, 176.

Descriptive Catalogue of Joslin’s Terrestrial & Celestial Globes, Gilman Joslin, Manufacturer and Dealer. Boston: Gilman Joslin, c. 1870s.

How to Use a Globe, Joslin’s Terrestrial and Celestial Globes/ Joslin’s Hand-book to the Terrestrial and Celestial Globes. Boston, Massachusetts: Gilman Joslin & Son, [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. 100-03.

Yonge, Ena L. A Catalogue of Early Globes, Library Series No. 6. American Geographical Society: 1968, pp. 37-38.

Additional information

Maker Location

Maker

Globe Type

Terrestrial

Century

19th Century

Stand

Walnut, Turned wood