Pair of Cary’s 21-inch Terrestrial and Celestial Library Globes

Pair of Cary’s 21-inch Terrestrial and Celestial Library Globes, each surmounted by a brass scale in a circular oak stand with four arched supports on a gadrooned and ring-turned column, the tripod S-scroll legs joined by a large compass, decorated throughout with ebony stringing and bosses, the terrestrial globe inscribed ‘Cary’s New Terrestrial Globe exhibiting the tracks and discoveries made by Captain Cook and those of Captain Vancouver on the North West Coast of America; and M de la Perouse on the coast of Tartary, together with every other Improvement collected from Various Navigators to the present time’, ‘London, made and sold by J & W Cary, Strand, March 1st 1815’ and the celestial ‘Cary’s New and Improved Celestial Globe on which is carefully laid down the whole of the stars and nebulae…the whole adapted to the year 1800 and the limits of each constellation determined by a boundary line’, ‘made and sold by J & W Cary Strand 1809’. With original compasses, papers and needles.

Provenance: The celebrated Cary family of cartographers and globe makers produced some of the greatest late Georgian globes. The firm was started in London in the late 18th century by John Cary (c1754-1835), an engraver and dealer in maps who often worked in partnership with his brother William Cary (c1760-1825), a scientific instrument maker. John Cary concentrated on geographical excellence rather than on decoration. In about 1820 the Cary brothers moved their business to 86 St. James’s Street, leaving the premises at 181 Strand to John Cary’s son George (c1788-1859) and John Jr. (1791-1852) who traded as G. & J. Cary until about 1850. The striking colour scheme of these globes echoes the vogue for oak (representing gallant British battleships) and ebony (black for mourning) which followed the death of Vice Admiral Lord Nelson in 1805.