Globes

Globes and maps remind people of places they have been, or the endless possibilities of places they may visit someday. Globes and maps have always been objects of artistic decor. As they are three dimensional, globes are sculptural works of art. Antique globes for sale at auction can realize prices from hundreds to millions of dollars.

Globes became popular around the 15th century and, like many antiques, were commissioned primarily for the wealthy. The composition of the perfect spherical map intrigued many scholars and scientists over the years, including Leonardo da Vinci. Globes were made of many different materials over the centuries. During the Georgian era, tiny pocket globes were popular and had their own lined luxury carrying cases. Some globes were sized to rest on tables, while larger models stood on bases on the floor. Valuable antique globes from Europe crafted by masters such as Blaeu, Vincenzo Coronelli, Gerardus Mercator, and Charles-Francois Delamarche are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. In 1879, Juvet’s "Time Globe" was created, which rotated every 24 hours and could be oriented by the use of a compass in its base.

Antique globes are particularly collectible for the geographical errors that distinguish them from accurate modern representations of the world. They are artful icons of a world that had not yet been fully explored. Globes bearing outdated political boundaries are also collectible relics.

Quick Facts

• The oldest-known globe to feature the New World was found by an Austrian collector in 2013. The globe is dated 1504 and is comprised of detailed engravings on two conjoined halves of ostrich eggs
• A 1731 "New Globe of the Earth" pocket globe made by Richard Cushee in London sold for $18,750 at a 2014 Bonhams auction
• A rare Dutch terrestrial table globe and celestial table globe by Gerard and Leonard Valk made in the first half of the 18th century sold at a January 2016 Sotheby's auction for $72,500