ADAMS Snr, George, London

Details

ADAMS Snr, George, London
A Terrestrial GLOBE G:Adams No.60 Fleet Street LONDON. [c.1760]
A fine 3-inch (7.6cm.) diameter miniature terrestrial globe made up of twelve hand-coloured engraved gores and two polar calottes, the equatorial graduated in degrees in two directions, The Meridian of London ungraduated, the anti-meridian graduated in degrees, the ecliptic graduated in days with symbols for the houses of the Zodiac, the oceans showing arrows denoting wind directions in the Atlantic and Pacific, and trade winds in the Indian Ocean, also showing the tracks for Anfons Voyage and the Antipodes to London, the Antarctic with no land shown and labelled Incognita, the continents outlined in red, yellow and green and showing mountains in pictorial relief, and the names of countries and regions, China showing the Great Wall, the Arctic labelled Incognita, South America showing Terra Firma and Incognita, Africa showing Negroland, Coast of the Cafres and Incognita, Australia shown misshapen and with no detail at all beyond the name New Holland, New Zealand shown by small portion of coastline (abrasions to varnish, some small loss of detail, very thin crack approx. 0.6cm. long at North Pole, four small cracks at South Pole) with unengraved brass meridian half-circle, raised on a turned fruitwood column and concave triangular base with three brass bun feet (mounting not original) -- 6in. (15.9cm.) high

See Colour Illustration and Detail

Lot Essay

As Australia is shown entirely bare, the manufacture of this globe can be dated to prior to the charting of New South Wales in 1770, reference to which appears on subsequent globes published by Adams. The note Anfons Voyage, referring to Anson's circumnavigation of the world completed 1744 after three years and nine months at sea, may also possibly predate this latter's promotion to the rank of Admiral in 1761, the rank he is recorded as bearingon subsequent editions of Adams' terrestrial globes.

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