W AND A.K. JOHNSTON (1802 – 1888), JOHNSTON’S TERRESTRIAL GLOBE

W and A.K. Johnston (1802 – 1888)
Johnston’s Terrestrial Globe
Edinburg and London, ca. 1870
Diameter 18 in.; Height 48 in.

A tall standing library globe, made up of two sets of 12 engraved globe gores, hand-colored in outline, the globe adopting some new scientific ideas such as isothermal lines (lines of equal temperature) extending down across the northern hemisphere, as well as adding British Abyssinia into the horn of Africa. Old varnish somewhat browned and darkened, with a few abrasions and rubbing of the gore surface, the title cartouche with infill with loss of letters. Two brass hour circles, brass meridian circle, and an unpapered horizon bar. The horizon supported by four wooden quadrants rising up from the short globe pillar at the south pole, the wooden base with four turned small feet.

An interesting late 19th century gentleman’s globe showing the various parts of the world claimed by the British. The globe in its original wooden stand, the horizon bar being unpapered as issued.