1891 on traditional base.
American cartographers Rand McNally first published this globe
in 1891. We are very pleased to anounce that Rand McNally have kindly
given us full consent to republish this interesting globe which bears
their Trade Mark. This globe is an interesting example of the diversity
that can be found on a terrestrial globe as it depicts Isothermic Bars,
because of this we decided to republish it. It is 12" diameter and is
supported by a wire axis which tilts the globe at the elliptic angle
of 23.5 degrees. A brass finial and bush hold the globe to the axis.
The base is hand turned and made using reclaimed timber or a black spun
metal base.

On our spun metal base.

Original makers label
The
ebonised base is available in any colour as long as it is black!
Rand McNally's Globe on traditional wooden base. Ref:GT 1891
£140 + delivery.
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The
World of 1891
1891
saw the powers of Europe already beginning to divide into the two conflicting
camps which were to lead ultimately to the 1st World War of 1914-18.
On May 6th the Triple Alliance that had been formed in 1882 between
Germany, Austria and Italy was formally renewed for a further 12 years.
The renewal of this alliance spurred France and Russia to increased
co-operation and in July 1891 a french naval squadron visited Kronstadt
in Russia and negotiations began towards a formal understanding between
the two powers, which was finally completed on August 27th when France
and Russia signed an "entente" by which each power agreed to consult
the other if threatened by outside aggression. In 1891 Britain maintained
"a splendid isolation" from the continental powers, preferring to stay
independent of any formal wide ranging alliances. She was content to
let the formation of two conflicting power blocs balance the power in
mainland Europe, whilst being extremely wary of any French, Russian,
German or Italian overseas interests that might effect her Empire. The
Empire which was at its height came first, and any negotiations Britain
involved herself in were to be in the interest of her global empire.
Thus in 1891 whilst Britain made agreements and local treaties with
Italy over the borders of Ethiopia, with Holland over Borneo and with
Portugal over South East Africa, there was little enthusiasm for Kaiser
Wilhelm II's visit to London in July of that year. The Kaiser who had
"dropped the pilot" - Bismarck the previous year and taken charge of
german foreign policy hoped to use his blood ties to the british monarchy
(he was Queen Victoria's grandson) to draw Britain into an understanding
with the Triple Alliance. The Kaiser thought that french ambitions in
Africa and South East Asia and Russia's interest in Central Asia and
in particular India would be reason enough to prefer the Triple Alliance
to the "entente". Whilst Germany had no colonies to speak of save for
a settlement in East Africa (Tanganyka - see globe), she was already
Britain's main economic and industrial rival and Britain could see no
advantage in aiding the Kaiser's quest for more significant territories
in "the race for Africa". His visit to London only brought more urgency
to France to pursue an "entente" with Russia and the failure of his
diplomatic overtures to Britain led him to embark on the aggrandizement
of the Germany navy to challenge Britain's dominance of the sea, which
rivalry of course led Germany into a direct conflict with Britain and
was one of the underlying causes of the 1st World War.
Rand
McNally its Isothermic Globe of 1891
Rand
McNally was founded in 1856 in Chicago and produced globes from 1887
until 1987. In 1872 Rand McNally pioneered the technique of wax engraving
which was quicker, cheaper and easier than the more traditional engraving
and this allowed maps and gores to be revised easily. The wax engraving
was so successful that Rand McNally was producing map gores for many
other American companies by the end of the 19th century. The first globe
produced by Rand McNally was a terrestrial one in 1887. A relief globe
was produced in 1900, being the only American globe to show relief on
both continents and ocean floors. The relief was made of plaster then
painted various colours to indicate elevations. The globe was 18 inches
in diameter. In 1928 the firm produced its first physical globe, 16
inches in diameter. Elevation levels were indicated by green, yellow
and brown (lower to higher). Ocean currents were shown in brown for
cold and red for warm. Isotherms appeared in red and blue. Production
of this globe ended in 1940 and it was replaced by physical-political
globes without ocean currents or isotherms. The 1891 globe was the first
isothermic globe showing the different temperatures in both summer and
winter in different parts of the globe linked by the same temperature
by isothermic lines. The Rand McNally isothermic globe owes much to
the work of Van Humboldt (1769-1859), one of the most distinguished
names in the history of geography. In 1817 he published a paper on the
subject of isotherms using his definition of "curves drawn through points
of the globe which receive an equal quantity of heat". The same year
he published a map that included no topographical features, not even
coastlines, but concentrated on the relationships between isotherms
and geographical latitudes. His aim was to demonstrate visually his
scientific findings that temperatures on the western sides of continents
were notably milder than those on the east. This challenged the old
classical notion of climatic zones based on latitudes. He used 13 locations
in America, Europe and Asia to plot the average temperatures. Despite
the improvement in recording temperature readings and the profusion
of weather stations, and the increase in global warming, the accuracy
of the Rand McNally 1891 globe is still today excellent.
Transport
1891
Railways Soon after
the entente was signed between France and Russia in August 1891, construction
began at Uladivostok of a trans Siberian railway that was financed in
part by french financiers and also by London's Baring brothers. The
construction force used was drawn from convicted criminals, and political
prisoners from the Tsarist prison camps of Siberia. Very similar to
the subsequent builders and repair gangs used by the communist authorities
of 20th century Russia. Railway building was at its zenith with new
lines being built across all continents. In London the first electric
underground railway had opened the previous year. Meanwhile in America
in 1891 the New York Central's "Empire State Express" travelled the
436 miles from New York to East Buffalo in a record breaking 7 hours
and 6 minutes. Motorcars The motor car was still in its infancy but
in 1891 the french designers Rene Panhard and Emile Levassor established
the modern design of the car with the first four wheeled petrol driven
vehicle with the engine situated in the front. In America the Duryea
brothers also designed a petrol driven engine capable of driving a four
wheeled vehicle. In America this was to start a boom in motor manufacturers
driven by public demand that within 4 years led to there being over
300 manufacturers of cars. However the decline to the present day had
begun by 1900 when they were already down to just over 100 in number.
Air Although the first proper air flight was over 12 years away, in
1891 a flying machine 'the Eole' designed by Clement Ader of France,
powered by a steam driven propeller made the first powered take off,
rising 4 feet and travelling 60 yards. His claims of success were subsequently
strongly disputed.
Empires
The carve up of
Africa continues 1891 Feb 9th - The Emperor of Ethiopia, Menelek denounces
Italian claims to a protectorate. March 24th - A British-Italian agreement
over Ethiopia, defining the frontiers of their Red Sea colonies. April
15th - African copper mining pioneered by Robert Williams - an aide
to Cecil Rhodes - who sends an expedition north to study outcroppings
observed by Dr Livingstone. The copper is found to be outside the border
of British territories in Katanga, country owned by the king of the
Belgians, Leopold II. An agreement is negotiated with Leopold under
which the Katanga company is organised. June 11th - Britain and Portugal
hold a convention on territories north and south of the Zambezi river
whereby Portugal gives Barotseland to the British who later proclaimed
Nyasaland a British protectorate (present day Malawi). July 31st - Britain
declares territories north of the Zambezi up to the Congo basin to be
within its sphere of influence. December 20th - Belgian Congo forces
kill the king of the Garenganze, Msiri; the copper mines of Katanga
lie within his kingdom.
Births
and deaths 1891
March
19th - Earl Warren - Chief Justice for the American Supreme Court 1953-69.
Responsible for a number of liberal legal rulings, notably in civil
rights - died 1974. April 7th - David Low - New Zealand born cartoonist.
Radical creator of newspaper cartoon characters including Colonel Blimp
and the T.U.C. carthorse - died 1963. Aug 2nd - Arthur Bliss - British
composer born in London. Became Master of Queen's Music in 1953. Works
include "A Colour Symphony" 1922, music for ballets, "Checkmate" 1937,
"Miracle in the Gorbals" 1944, and "Adam Zero" 1946, an opera "The Olympians"
1949 and many film scores including "Things to Come" 1935. Died 1975.
Nov 15th - Averell Harriman, american administrator of lend-lease in
World War II, negotiated nuclear test ban treaty with Russia in 1963,
Governor of New York 1955-58 - died 1986. ? - Chico Marx - Piano playing,
girl chasing (hence name from chasing "chicks") member of the fabulous
Marx brothers - died 1961. 2 Died March 29th - George Seurat, french
artist born Paris 1859. Aug 2nd - James Russell Lowell, born 1819, american
poet, also U.S. ambassador to britain 1880-85. Sept 28th - Herman Melville
- American author of Moby Dick. Oct 26th - Helmuth Count von Moltke,
prussian general responsible for prussian victories over Denmark 1863-64,
Austria 1866 and France 1870-77, without which there would have been
no German unification. Nov 10th - Arthur Rimbaud - French poet who influenced
the symbolist movement. Lived with another symbolist poet, Paul Verlaine.
Died aged 37 after amputation of his leg. Sept 30th - Georges Boulanger
- French general who served in Indo-China and North Africa. Became Minister
of War in 1886 nearly provoking war with Germany in 1887. In 1889 he
was suspected of organising a coup d'etat and fled to London. He was
tried for treason in his absence. he committed suicide on the grave
of his mistress. Oct 6th - Charles Parnell - Irish politician who campaigned
fiercely for irish home rule. Earned himself the nickname of "uncrowned
king of Ireland". Had a major influence in british domestic politics.
Jan 20th - King Kalakaua of Hawaii - who was succeeded by his sister
Liliuokalani, a fierce nationalist who believed in "Hawaii for the Hawaiians".
Sport
1891
Although the first modern
Olympiad was only 5 years away in 1896, international sport between
countries was unheard of save for the Americas Cup for sailing and football
matches between the home nations of Britain and cricket matches between
England and Australia. Boxing a) John L. Sullivan, American Heavyweight
World Champion and Bare Knuckle Champion. b) Bob Fitzimmons, British
World Middleweight Champion from Helston in Cornwall. c) May 21st (negro)
Peter Jackson fights James Corbett to 61 round draw. Football The 20th
annual football match between England and Scotland was played at Blackburn
with England winning 2-1. England went on to win the home internationals
championship with a 4-1 win over Wales at Sunderland and a 6-1 win over
Ireland at Wolverhampton. So much like the year 2001 England were playing
their "internationals" around the grounds of the country. Everton were
the english league champions and Dumbarton the scottish. The F.A. Cup
was played at the Kennington Oval where Blackburn Rovers beat Notts
County 3-1. In Scotland, Hearts beat Dumbarton 1-0. Basketball Invented
in 1891 by a P.E. teacher James Naismith at Springfield Massachusetts
with the aim of keeping his students occupied between the football and
baseball seasons. Naismith set up fruit baskets suspended from the balcony
of the gym for nets and formulated the rules that have never substantially
changed. American Football The first american football rule book was
written in 1891 by Walter Camp, who invented the scrimmage line, the
11 man team, signals and the quarterback position. Cycling On October
18th a six day cycling race was completed at Madison Square Garden.
Cyclists from all over the world competed for "cash and glory on their
high wheelers". Spectators betted on their favourites during the many
sprints within the big race. However there was also much criticism by
people who considered the whole spectacle to be inhumane.
Arts and Literature 1891
1891
saw three major works for fiction published in Britain: Thomas Hardy's
'Tess of the D'Urbevilles', Oscar Wilde's only novel 'The Picture of
Dorian Gray', and Arthur Conan Doyle's 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes',
which were serialised in The Strand magazine in that year. 'Tess of
the D'Urbevilles' was initially serialised in 'The Graphic' magazine
from July to December 1891 with the first book edition published on
29th November 1891. 'Tess' deals with a particular human tragedy rooted
in the extreme harshness and desperation of life of the rural labouring
classes. Its sub title 'A Pure Woman' proved to be an offensive euphemism
to many in the staid and hypocritical Victorian middle class, particularly
in its representations of sex, religion, marriage and parenthood. However
it was received well by the reading public and proved to be an immediate
best seller. 'A Picture of Dorian Gray', Wilde's only novel was greeted
with almost universal disdain by english critics. Its story concerned
a young man whose portrait aged while he himself remained forever youthful.
At the time this supernatural classic was attacked as being "decadent"
and "unmanly". W.H. Smith refused to stock "this filthy book". Oscar
Wilde, sensing the possible furore to come, states in his preface: "There
is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written
of badly written, that is all". Although 'The Adventures of Sherlock
Holmes' was not the first outing of the great detective ('A Study in
Scarlet' first appeared in 1887), it was the first to gain immediate
success with an enthusiastic public and launched Conan Doyle from a
part time writer with a foundering medical practice into the legend
he subsequently became. 1891 also saw the publication of 'The English
Flag' by Rudyard Kipling - "and what should they know of England who
only England know". 'Peter Ibbetson' a semi autobiographical novel by
George du Maurier. 'The Little Minister' by Peter Pan author James M.
Barrie. 'News from Nowhere' - a book of stories by the socialist visionary
William Morris. In Germany the norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen completes
'Hedda Gabler'.
Art
a)
Paul Gauguin's 'La Orana Maria' and 'Vase of Tulips' - Gauguin settles
in Tahiti. b) Giovanni Segantini's 'Ploughing of the Engadine'. c) Henri
Toulouse Lautrec produces his first Montmatre music hall posters. Music
a) Carnegie Hall open on May 5th in West 57th Street, New York with
a concert conducted in part by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky who travelled
from Russia. b) Stage musical 'Cinder Ellen Up Too Late' opens in London
with songs that include "Ta-ra-ra-boom-der-ray, did you see my wife
today? No I saw her yesterday. Ta-ra-ra-boom-der-ray".
Architecture 1891
The year 1891 saw the advance
of the 'skyscraper' in America. First developed in New York in 1868
as a result of the high land prices it was soon spreading to other cities.
In 1891 Louis Sullivan, an architect from Boston created a radical new
building in St Louis by using a new method of construction made possible
by the use of special steel girders. The new Wainwright Building was
supported by a frame of beams moulded in the shape of a capital 'I'.
Sullivan made the steel skeleton visible and refused to overelaborate
the decoration believing that "form follows function". It enabled him
to provide large uninterrupted floor space and admit more light into
the interior. With the availability of mechanical lifts it meant that
there was no limit to the height of future buildings. The Wainwright
Building was 10 stories high.
Royalty
1891
Just
as in the present day with a long reigned queen on the throne, there
were plenty of instances of scandal amongst the junior royals and in
particular the heir to the throne, the Prince of Wales. However Victorian
society was more adroit at making sure that most scandals were covered
up. Edward the oldest son of Queen Victoria, leader of the rich and
sophisticated Marlborough House set, already had a dubious reputation
as a philanderer and playboy and had been virtually excluded by his
mother from royal political responsibilities, when he caused a fresh
scandal in 1891 by appearing as a prosecution witness in the Tranby
Croft case, about gambling irregularities. On June 10th the leading
article in The Times made a devastating attack on Edward, condemning
him for mixing in doubtful society and indulging in "questionable pleasures",
thereby putting at risk the "monarchial principle". The Times attack
followed a nine day trial of a slander case at which the Prince had
given evidence. The trial arose out of an incident at the St Leger meeting
at Doncaster races. The Prince was staying at the house of Arthur Wilson,
a wealthy shipowner. He had brought his own Baccarat counters and was
acting as the banker for the game. Baccarat was illegal at this time.
During the game Wilson's son accused the good friend of the Prince,
Sir William Gordon Cummings, of cheating by increasing his stake on
winning hands. Five other people supported the cheating charge and Sir
William was forced to sign a paper confessing his guilt. He promised
never to play cards again and thought that was the last of the matter.
However it became part of high London society gossip and so he sued
for slander. He lost the case, and as a result was expelled from the
army and blackballed in all his clubs.
Social History
Immigration
and America: In the space of 10 years, 3 million migrants moved mostly
from Europe to America, the majority arriving in New York. In 1891 the
U.S. population had reached 62.9 million with two thirds of it rural,
down from 90% rural in 1840. The population of cities was growing rapidly
ever year. Los Angeles (a small town) reached 50,000 in 1891, up from
11,000 in 1880. The huge numbers of migrants forced Congress to establish
a U.S. office of Superintendent of Immigration on March 3rd 1891 and
on 1st January 1892 an Office of Immigration opened on Ellis Island,
New York. The population of New York was by now 40% foreign born with
italians dominating the lower east side, the irish the west side, and
the jews from Russia and Central Europe the centre. High growth cities
like Boston and Chicago had immigrant populations that equalled their
total population on ten years ago. In the 1850s northern Europe (Britain,
Germany and Scandanavia) provided 95% of the migrants but by 1891 that
figure had dropped to 60%. Italians who had taken over the New York
fruit trade were arriving at the rate of 30,000 a year. The pogroms
in Russia of that year forced the Jews to flee in even greater numbers;
as one writer quotes "the only hope for jews in Russia is to become
jews out of Russia". The richer Northern Europeans were moving out to
farm and trade across the nation, but the newcomers short of money were
eager to settle nearer their compatriots in the run down sections of
New York, Boston and Chicago, thereby becoming scapegoats for the rapidly
rising crime rates. There was the usual backlash against the migrants
accused of bringing with them socialism, anarchy and violence from their
homelands. However Andrew Carnegie calculated that each migrant was
worth $1,500 (as much as a slave before the Civil War) and therefore
each year the U.S.A. was growing $1 billion richer. The migrants used
as surplus labour helped keep wages low much to the anger of the unions
who struck throughout the year for higher wages and lower hours. The
italians were particularly disliked for their willingness to be "scab"
labour and their mafia connections. In March of that year the italian
government recalled its ambassador in protest at the murder of 11 italian
migrants in New Orleans. A lynch mob had broken into the prison there
and executed 11 suspected mafia members who were implicated in the murder
of the city's police chief who had been investigating mafia links with
crime. The mob hunted down 11 of the 19 prisoners; nine were shot and
two were hung. Of the 19 men indicted nine were eventually tried but
were found not guilty.
Britain
- results of 1891 census According to the 1891 census more people than
ever before were now living in cities and towns. Nearly one third of
the population now lived in towns of more than 100,000 inhabitants compared
with one in eight in France. The urbanisation of Britain was particularly
affecting women. Of the 4 million women workers over 1.25 million were
now "in service" and a third of all females between the ages of 15 and
20 were domestic servants. The next biggest group of women workers were
in dressmaking and textile manufacturing, numbering 1.1 million. Many
working class parents were ready to send their children into service
as they believed it to be preferable to factory work. But domestic life
was not without its hazards as Tess in "Tess of the D'Urbevilles" found
out.
Canada
- In 1891 Canada received her first Ukranian influx. Ukranians will
now comprise Canada's fourth largest population group after the French,
Irish and English.
Domestic
politics.
The
new Elementary Education Bill made free education available for all
families in England and Wales, however poor. A grant of 10 shillings
a year for all children between 3 and 15 was now available. This was
slightly more than most school fees. Lord Salisbury, the Prime Minister
was not a supporter of free education but feared that the Liberals under
Gladstone would make board schools free, thereby hitting fee paying
church schools. Salisbury had stated that "the duty of sending your
children to school is not a natural duty like that of feeding them -
it is an artificial duty invented in the last 60 years".
The
Liberal party at its conference in Newcastle adopts a bold new set of
policies - "The Newcastle Programme". To ensure the support of irish
nationalist M.P.s it advocated home rule for Ireland despite the fact
that the home rule question had almost split the party over the last
10 years. (Indeed one of the brightest talents of the party, Joseph
Chamberlain, had broken away in 1886 and formed his own party of Liberal
unionists and had sided with the Conservatives over the irish question.
He would subsequently become a Conservative minister.) See Punch cartoon.
The policies - disestablishment of the welsh church, reform of the House
of Lords, triennial parliaments, abolition of plural franchise, land
law reform, an employers liability bill, shorter working hours and a
local veto on the sales of alcohol - were all aimed at pulling in new
voters and to encourage traditional ones.
Agriculture/Environment
1891
Dec
2nd - Rainmaker Frank Melbourne, a controversial irishman, is negotiating
the sale of rights to his secret rainmaking process after the success
of his technique in August in inducing half an inch of rain around drought
stricken Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Russian
crops fail and millions are reduced to starvation, forcing the rural
peasantry to raid towns and cities in search of food. President Harrison
responds by ordering U.S. flour to be shipped to Russia.
Kansas
farmers, bankrupted by tight money controls are forced to cross the
Mississippi and head back east in numbers varying between 18-30,000.
British
butchers convicted of selling meat unfit for human consumption will
on their second offence be forced to display signs stating their record.
The
'Del Monte' label on canned fruit and vegetables appears for the first
time.
The
New York Botanical Gardens opens in the Bronx.
September
22nd - President Harrison opens an additional 900,000 acres of Oklahoma
Indian land to white settlers.
March
3rd - The Forest Reserves Act passed by Congress authorises the withdrawal
of public lands for a National Forest Reserve to ensure that any state
or territory will have public lands that are wholly or partially covered
with timber or undergrowth.
A
new Colorado gold rush begins at Cripple Creek. By the end of the decade
Cripple Creek will have a population of 60,000 and become the fifth
largest producer of gold in world history.
Science/Inventions 1891
March
16th - The submarine cable across the Channel enabled those with a telephone
in London to speak to friends in Paris for the first time.
U.S.A.
- W.L. Judson invents a new slide fastener known as a 'zipper' - but
the first practical design isn't made until 1913.
U.S.A.
- William Burroughs is granted a patent for an "adding machine".
France
- Jean Rey and Jules Carpenter invent the periscope, making submarine
navigation possible.
Britain
- Beginnings of wireless telegraphy based on the work of Clerk Maxwell
and Hertz.
U.S.A.
- Tesla further develops the high tension induction coil (up to 1,000,000
volts).
U.S.A.
- A. Strowger, an undertaker from Missouri invents the dial telephone.
U.S.A.
- German migrant John Boepple starts first freshwater pearl button factory
with mussels in his basement in Muscatine, Iowa.
U.S.A.
- First picture of sun taken by George Hale with Spectroheliograph.
U.S.A.
- Peanut butter invented by a St Louis doctor as a health food.
France
- Tuffier of Paris performs early lung operation for tuberculosis.
U.S.A.
- The first electric oven for commercial sale is produced by the Carpenter
Electric Heating Company.
Labour
Rights 1891
The
Pope, Leox III, in his papal encyclical 'Rerum Novarum' states that
employers have important moral duties as members of the ruling class
and one of the most important is to improve the conditions of the workers.
(May 15th.)
German
factory workers win the right to form committees to negotiate with employers
on conditions of employment. Factory inspection is made more efficient.
Germany
introduces the world's first old age pension plan which compels all
workers over 16 years old who are fully employed and earning over 2,000
marks a year to contribute. Employers must contribute equal amounts
and the pension is paid to persons who have paid premiums for a minimum
of 30 years at the age of 70.
Black
cotton pickers demanding $1 a day wages stage and lose strikes in Arkansas
and Georgia.
James
Keir Hardie becomes the first elected independent Labour party member
of parliament.
The
german Social Democratic party adopts Karl Marx's doctrine of class
warfare and the transformation of society by the socialisation of the
means of production and exchange. August Bebel the founder of the party
says that they would fight for socialism inside and outside parliament.
Chicago's
Provident Hospital becomes the first interracial hospital in the U.S.A.
Founded by the black surgeon Daniel Hale Williams it incorporates the
first nursing training school for black women.
Factory
Act in Britain states that no child under 11 is to work in factories.
Formation
of the Young Turk movement of exiles from the Ottoman Empire to press
for Liberal reforms.
Motherwell
- January 5th. Striking coal miners riot in protest at attempts by pit
owners to evict them from their home.
London
- April 21st. The Grenadier Guards mutiny at their Chelsea barracks.
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Greaves & Thomas, fine Globemakers,
a potted history.
Award winning Globemakers Greaves &
Thomas are a small company based in the United Kingdom, today they make
Historical Globes, Celestial Globes, Lunar Globes, Planetary Globes,
Facsimile Globes, Replica Globes, Themed Globes, Paper Folding Globes,
and Modern Day Globes. Arts Corespondent Jemmy Button looks into their
history.
In 1991 James Bissell-Thomas after several
years of research, published his first globe (Merzbach
& Falk's 1881 globe). The globe was well received,
especially because of the ageing techniques developed to lend the globes
a patina producing a convincing replica. James Bissell-Thomas believes
that this was achieved because of his Art School background, his printing
knowledge gained running his own publishing house in the 1980's (Long
Tail Prints) combined with his knowledge as an antiques dealer. In 1991
the first globe joined an already existing eclectic range of furnishing
ideas which included Giant Tennis Rackets, Rivercraft furniture, Hat
Boxes etc. (most are still being made: www.gtstore.co.uk)
. It was because of James
Bissell-Thomas' interest in globes, that the decision was then made
to form a collection of globes, spanning cartographic history from 1492
to the present day.
At the time James' knowledge in globes was
poor, however a good friend at the Royal Geographical Society pointed
out that the following year (1992) would be not only be the 500 year
anniversary of the European discovery of the New World, but it would
also be the anniversary of the earliest surviving terrestrial globe
~ Martin Behaim's 'Erdapfel'. This globe today resides in the Germanishes
Museum in Germany, rightly described by Bissell-Thomas as the 'Holy
Grail' of all globes, not just because of its age, but also because
of the profusion of data inscribed on the globe, the globe is best described
as a medieval geographical census describing the world beyond Europe,
listing the origin of spices, metals, traditions, peoples, animals,
islands and religions etc. not only this but the globe covered in beautiful
illustrations by Glockendon.
Despite the globe being on an elaborate stand,
with extremely detailed artwork, Greaves & Thomas still decided
it would be wise to republish this fine relic. Appointments were then
made with the Germanisches Museum and flights were booked. On arrival
at the museum in September 1991, it transpired that the Germanisch Museum
had its own globe publishing interest and was not interested in helping
G&T achieve their goal. Consequently, they were given a very limited
time to study the original globe and reference images they also commissioned
from the Museum were later blocked and never arrived. While many would
have given up, Greaves & Thomas decided that it would persevere,
knowing that what ever they produced would ultimately be compared to
a rival globe that would have the Museum's seal of approval. All possible
data concerning the globe was sourced and the finished result once again
was well received, and is today is considered one of the most important
globes in their collection.
In August 1992 when the Martin
Behaim Globe was completed, Bissell-Thomas proudly informed
the Germanish Museum that despite their reluctance to help, he had succeeded
in making their facsimile. Soon after this 3 overseas business men arranged
to come and see their Behaim Globe, at the time Greaves & Thomas
was trading from 2 small garages in a small muddy yard, then even the
two garages were not room enough, and a small 12' white square marquee
had been hurriedly erected in the yard as a temporary measure. When
the visitors arrived, they spent considerable time inspecting the globe,
and then had an impromptu board meeting by themselves in the rain in
the muddy yard, they re-entered, and announced that 2 of them were presidents
of two globe companies, Rath Globes from Germany and Cram Globes from
the USA. They informed Greaves & Thomas that they had been working
with the Gemanishes Museum to produce their facsimile version, however
upon inspection of the globe, they stated that they were keen to cease
production of their own efforts and to market the G &T globe. This
they did, with considerable success including selling one example to
the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. Not only this, but the Gemanishes
Museum also ordered a globe for themselves.
Greaves & Thomas have, on more than one
occasion, offered to make the Germanische Museum's version, which would
be one step closer to the original, but to date they have declined.
The Greaves & Thomas version can now be found in numerous museums
around the world.
From this point onwards, Greaves and Thomas
would only concentrate on globes, initially historical globes but soon
branching into themed globes: Holbein's
Terrestrial Globe; Shakespeare's
Globe; Alice's
Celestial Globe and lastly the ludicrous Elvis
Presley Mars Globe is another example of the diversity
that can be achieved in globemaking, if one cares to explore the possibility
of producing something other than the norm.
Today alongside their Themed Globes, Historical
Replica Globes and their Modern Day Globes, Greaves & Thomas have
also added the spectacular 'Hermetic
Globe'
to their Collection and this will soon be followed by a production version
of their amazing Invisible
Globe.
Greaves & Thomas now also have now formed
an interesting collection of globes made in the last 300 years by other
globemakers, this 500 strong collection will soon be prominently displayed
in the Museum that they are presently preparing on the Isle of Wight.
This should be a Mecca for designers as it will show numerous different
versions of the same object. Not only this, but they will be using the
Sistine Chapel's ceiling as inspiration to make a stunning celestial
ceiling, and at the same time show one of the finest optical illusions
in the world.
A surprising aspect of Greaves & Thomas
is that they produce all their Globes in the UK. While numerous companies
in the UK now relocate their production to the far east, in order to
survive in today's cut throat market, G&T continue to produce a
quality product which is well received. Their workforce never more than
5 craftpersons, and the globes they offer are limited by craft instead
of number, this is verified in the small numbers of certain globes produced
each year ( for example 2-6 Coronelli Globes per year and 5-12 Behaim
Iron Stand Versions per year) , consequently there is always a waiting
list for the larger more intricate globes that Greaves & Thomas
produce. The globes are made using recycled papers and the wooden components
for the elaborate stands are also made using reclaimed / recycled timber.
Consequently Greaves & Thomas globes will never cost the Earth.
Jemmy Button, Arts Corespondent
TO
VIEW THE G&T GLOBE COLLECTION CLICK HERE!