In the week when the media is full of green- and red-listed holiday destinations, optimists are booking, or even beginning, holidays abroad and a brand-new cruise liner is embarking passengers in Southampton, we, at Wick Antiques have our own view of ‘this brave new world’.  The view from the 19^th century. 

Long before photography and satellites, earthlings looked at the world from above in the form of painstakingly hand-produced globes.  The world was still truly new so captains, cartographers and artists would meticulously record their journeys for globe makers, like Cary and Newton, back at home.  The Cary terrestrial globe above proudly advertises the discoveries of Cook and Vancouver while, in contrast, the single Smith globe, dated 1820, shows very little beyond the coastal regions of Australia.

Large globes were, and still are, expensive, so table globes and even pocket globes were popular additions to the globe producers’ repertoire.  Another cost-cutting practice was to update the papers or ‘gores’ and replace the old ones, rather than produce entirely new globes, which explains the differing dates on celestial and terrestrial globes.

Our most magnificent and rare globes were a pair of 24-inch Newton globes.  These too were updated in 1852 (terrestrial) and 1860 (celestial) while the original spheres and mahogany stands were made even earlier, around 1825.  Very sadly this globe lost its companion when the celestial globe was stolen in London last year. 

Globes were also produced in North America, initially using English papers.  This pair were ‘compiled from Smiths’ New English Globe, with additions and improvements by Annin & South, Boston’.  Josiah Loring began selling globes in 1832.  Many of his early globes like these, were re-engraved copies of English globes. Nevertheless, Loring advertised that his globes were superior to British globes of the period.

So even if you do not want to face the risks and rigours of post Covid travel just yet, please enjoy globetrotting with us.

Preparation for this year’s Chelsea Antiques Fair are well underway. We are pleased to announce that we have just signed ALTIDO as a Fair Partner. ALTIDO is a hospitality provider creating exceptional experiences for property owners and guests. They provide hospitality management for homes, serviced apartments, hotels and unique destinations across Europe. Having received numerous expressions of interest we are delighted to confirm that two thirds of the stands are now contracted or under contract. There are some great stands still available so if you are interested in exhibiting at the Fair then please do get in contact with Fair Director Sophie Wood at sophie@2covet.com.

Register for complimentary tickets on The Chelsea Antiques Fair Website https://chelseaantiquesfair.co.uk