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Globe, American, Moon, Wilton, Plastic on Metal Stand, Connecticut, 1962 (Reserved)

This globe is currently on reserve among numerous extremely fine and rare American globes to be sold as a single collection. In the meanwhile, it has been placed here in our Globe Guide section as a service for researchers and collectors.

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Gifford MacGregor Proctor (1912-2006) (designer)
Wilton Moon Globe
Wilton Products Inc., Wilton, Connecticut: 1962
Plastic globe on metal stand

Raised-relief globe of the moon, made of hollow plastic, colored gold. It rests on its original metal cradle stand – a metal rod colored gold bent in a sinuous curved spiral that loosely holds the globe so it can be lifted off the stand and repositioned. The globe maps the lunar mountains and craters that are visible from earth, with the unknown topography of the “dark side” left blank. Major regions are labeled in raised relief capital letters (e.g., Sea of Serenity). An arrow points to an equatorial line labeled Limb of Max Liberation. The designer, sculptor Gifford MacGregor Proctor, patented the globe in August 1962 as a “Three Dimensional Topographical Globe of the Moon.” At that time, Americans were captivated by the progress of the space program toward the goal announced by President John F. Kennedy the previous year to land a manned spacecraft on the moon. As a major step toward that goal, in February 1962 John Glenn had became the first astronaut to orbit the earth.

Product description continues below.

Description

Gifford MacGregor Proctor was an American sculptor based in California and Connecticut. Born in New York City, he apprenticed with his father, sculptor Alexander Phimester Proctor. After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Yale University he won a Prix de Rome Fellowship for two years of study at the American Academy in Rome in Italy. He made many sculptures for public buildings: the U.S. Capitol, the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, the Federal Building in New Orleans, Fairfield University, and government buildings in Montana, Oregon, and Washington State. He also designed numerous medals and awards presented to prominent figures such as President Eisenhower and the Apollo 2 astronauts. A deeply patriotic man, Proctor’s passion project was a monumental 8-foot statue of George Washington wrapped in a billowing cloak, representing his fortitude when he led the Continental Army during its winter encampment in 1777-78 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Since 2015 the statue has been installed in a public school there.

Cartouche: WILTON PRODS INC./ WILTON CONN. GIFFORD PROCTOR/ 1962/ PAT APPL. FOR ©

Condition: Generally very good with the usual overall light wear and handling.

References:

“Gifford MacGregor Proctor.” Smithsonian American Art Museum. https://americanart.si.edu/artist/gifford-macgregor-proctor-3890 (16 October 2023).

O’Neill, Laurie A. “Sculptor Achieves a 50-Year Dream.” New York Times. 16 February 1986. https://www.nytimes.com/1986/02/16/nyregion/sculptor-achieves-a-50year-dream.html (16 October 2023).

Additional information

Maker Location

Maker

Globe Type

Lunar, Moon
Material

Plastic
Style

Modern