Description
The terrestrial globe is surmounted by an arrow pointer and mounted within a calibrated full brass meridian. The globe is supported within a circular horizon band with engraved paper calendar and zodiac on three quadrant supports, in a tripod bronzed iron stand, with foliate cabriole legs, ending in scrolled feet. Oceans are cream color. Geographic entities are cream, green, pink and yellow, some shaded with hatched borders (faded). In the United States, although many cities and rivers and indicated, most of the states are not named. Among these are North and South Dakota, shown prior to statehood (1891) as a single territory. Canada is labeled “British America.”
Franklin globes were produced throughout the second half of the 19th century in Troy, New York — with Franklin Field of Troy, New York as globe maker — by a succession companies under their own names: Merriam & Moore (1851-1852), Merriam Moore & Co. (1852-1858), Moore & Nims (1858-1868), H.B. Nims & Co. (1869-1885), Nims & Knight (1886-1889/92), and again H.B. Nims & Co. (1890/92-1896). The globes were variously available in the six, ten, twelve, sixteen, and thirty-inch diameters, with a variety of bases, generally in cast iron or wood and often reflecting the prevailing Victorian decorative arts style of the period. Models were made for both school and home parlor or library use. Collectively Franklin was one of the leading American globe makers of the 19th century in terms of quality, number and diversity of globes, and longevity of production.
Circular Cartouche: 10 INCH/ TERRESTRIAL/ GLOBE/ Compiled from the best/ Authorities/ H.B. NIMS & CO./ TROY, N.Y.
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. Top half of globe discolored relative to the bottom half due to toning from light and exposure.
References:
Catalogue of School, Family and Library Globes, Dictionary, Holders, Library and Stationery Specialties. Troy, New York: H.B. Nims & Company, 1895-96, p. 3.
Dekker, Elly and van der Krogt, Peter. Globes from the Western World. London: Zwemmer, 1993. p. 135-36, 140.
Glover, Bill. “History of the Atlantic Cable & Submarine Telegraphy Cable Timeline: 1845-1900.” Atlantic Cable. 5 November 2005. http://atlantic-cable.com/Cables/CableTimeLine/index1850.htm (7 October 2019).
Warner, Deborah Jean. “The Geography of Heaven and Earth.” Rittenhouse Journal of the American Scientific Instrument Enterprise, 1987. Vol. 2, Nos. 2 & 3, pp. 63-64, 88-89.
Yonge, Ena L. A Catalogue of Early Globes, Library Series No. 6. American Geographical Society,1968. p. 53
