Magnificent Pair of 18-inch Newton Library Globes

Description:

Magnificent Pair of 18-inch Newton Library Globes, the terrestrial with cartouche Newton's New & Improved Terrestrial Globe, Accurately Delineated From the Observations of the Most Esteemed Navigators and Travellers to the Present Time. Manufactured by Newton & Son, 66 Chancery Lane, London. Published 1st January 1867, made up of twelve engraved paper gores on plaster sphere, with continents lightly shaded, countries outlined, coasts hatched and colored, densely labeled with major towns, rivers, lakes, mountain ranges and deserts, North America divided into states and territories, California shown as a peninsula, Northern California labeled New California, the Russian Empire spanning Europe and Asia, the oceans marked with the tracks and dates of various expeditions including the three voyages of Cook, Biscoe and Gore, Clerke's voyage on the Resolution additionally marked with sightings of fauna in the North Pacific Ocean, the names of Pacific islands and the dates of their discovery labeled, the Antarctic labeled with observations of ice during Biscoe's 1831 expedition, the Equator or Equinoctial Line calibrated in degrees, hours and fractions, the Ecliptic by days of the month and Zodiacal signs, with Improved Analemma, and Meridian passing through Greenwich; the celestial with cartouche Newton's New and Improved Celestial Globe, On Which All the Stars, Nebulae, Ascensions & Declinations, Having Been Recalculated in the Year 1830 by W. Newton, Manufactured by Newton & Son, 66 Chancery Lane, London & 3 Fleet St., Temple Bar. Engraved by T. Starling, Temple Bar, made up of twelve gores depicting the constellations as mythical figures, beasts, heraldic emblems and instruments of science and navigation, to magnitudes of the fifth degree, nebulae and clusters, the gores lightly shaded, labeled in Latin with explanations in English, the Equinoctial calibrated in days, hours and degrees, the Ecliptic in days of the month and Zodiacal sigils, the colures Aequinoctiorum and Solsistorium in degrees 0-90 though four quadrants, illustrating the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, the Circles of Perpetual Apparition and Occultation at London, and the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn with explanation "The Tropical lines are here represented in compliance with custom, although unnecessary upon the Celestial Globe, the Tropics being circles generated upon the Earth's surface by the vertical sun at the time of the Solstices"; both globes with polished brass polar rings twice calibrated in hours, and full meridian rings divided 0-90 degrees through four quadrants, paper horizon circles credited Newton and Son, 66 Chancery Lane, London, showing Amplitude and Azimuth, the compass points, equinoxes, Gregorian and Zodiacal calendars, edged with black Greek key motif and red-painted rim, on matching Renaissance Revival carved walnut tripod stands with lion's paw feet joined by turned stretchers supporting 6 3/4 in. dia. compasses with engraved paper cards of Newton & Son, Chancery Lane, London, ht. approx. 43 x dia. 24 in., (professionally conserved by Green Dragon Bindery, both horizon rings with splits and old foxing).

Provenance: By descent from William L. Clements (1861-1934),founder of the Clements Library and Regent of the University of Michigan, industrialist and rare book collector who purchased the globes early in the 20th century.


Estimate $30,000-40,000

Both globes have been recently conserved by Green Dragon Bindery in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. Work included removing old lacquer, cleaning and re-lacquering the gores. Globes have an attractive mellow surface and retain old craquelure, and are in overall good condition.

Terrestrial has splits and old foxing at North Pole, and severeal scattered areas of foxing / staining across the globe, most noticeably off the North West coast of Australia. There is an approx. 5 in. repaired split below the Equator in the Southern Pacific. There are also areas of unobtrusive retouch in the Indian Ocean, in the ocean above New Zealand, and around the Sandwich Isles. Horizon ring has three old splits and some medium / heavy staining over December, part of January, February and a segment of March. Red paint renewed on rim.

Celestial has some light splits in the North pole and a few areas of light scattered foxing, with a concentration over Hercules and Scutum among other places There are three or four darker marks of approx. 1 - 1 1/2 in. Horizon ring has an old split, some wear (including approx. 1/2 in. chip) aound the cut-outs for the Meridian. Red paint on rim renewed.

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