Lot 185

THE TERRESTRIAL GLOBE

– the surface of the globe is heavily worn and scuffed in various places, mostly in the lower hemisphere, most prominently along the equator, along the meeting edges of gores, and all around the lower part of the globe, all apparently from rubbing against the meridian and horizon rings while wobbling a little off centre when being rotated; the most prominent scuffing is to the varnish only, not to the depth of the printed surface beneath, but there are a number of points (including within the text of the cartouche) where the printed surface itself is scuffed, abraded, or has suffered small losses;

–various other scattered small knocks, scrapes, and marks of general handling wear;

– there is a loss (about 4 x 6cm overall) through the papier-mâché fabric of the globe to one side of the south pole;

– in the areas not affected by faults mentioned above the varnish remains intact but is yellowed and with other scattered spots of discolouration;

– the mounts at the poles fixing the globe to the meridian ring are plain lead (unlike the engraved brass dials at the poles of the celestial globe); the upper polar mount is intact but worn and oxidised; the lower mount is fully detached from the globe (remaining attached to the meridian ring), broken, and bent far out of shape;

– the brass meridian ring is in good condition, consistent with age and use;

– on the stand, the upper surface of the horizon ring is generally worn throughout and distressed in places, with some losses in the applied printed paper ring; the edges of the recesses accommodating the meridian ring are chipped and worn and probably later enlarged;

– most of the small shaped brackets bracing the intersections of the underside of the horizon ring and its supports are absent and replaced by small metal L-shaped brackets;

– excepting the points above and the absence of the compass between its feet (as noted in the catalogue), the stand is otherwise is good condition, with little appreciable wear;

THE CELESTIAL GLOBE

– the surface of the globe has the same faults as the terrestrial globe but to a lesser degree, albeit with a two or three pronounced scrapes; the varnish is more worn overall than on the terrestrial globe, and with more pronounced wear and dirt at the meeting edges of the gores;

– there is cracking and some (stable) separation between the hemispheres, extending to about half of the circumference, variously running exactly along the seam between the two hemispheres or deviating a little off this line;

– the brass meridian ring and engraved brass dials at the poles are in good condition, consistent with age and use;

– on the stand, the horizon ring is in generally similar condition to that on the terrestrial globe but with fewer pronounced losses to the paper ring but also with a repaired fracture running on one side and slight separation of the joint between two of its segments (glued and stable);

– at the top of the stem of the stand, the brass mount in which the meridian ring rests lacks the screw that fixes the ring in a particular position (this having no other effect on the interrelation between these parts);

– the stand is otherwise in a similarly good condition as the other and retains a larger number of the brackets beneath the horizon ring; there is a well-executed and inconspicuous old repair to the joint between the stem and one of the feet



The opinions expressed in the condition reports are a guide only and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Prospective buyers are encouraged to seek further information or request additional images during our pre-sale period where Leonard Joel staff are available for advice. Please note condition reports can be amended during the pre-sale period, so we strongly suggest any interested bidders check the published condition report available on the website before the auction commences. Leonard Joel makes no guarantee of the originality of mechanical or applied components. Absence of reference to such modifications does not imply that a lot is free from modifications.

A private Melbourne institutional collection, to which donated circa 1957 to be lent to furnish Cook's Cottage, Melbourne

Cook's Cottage, Melbourne, circa 1957–1970s