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Lot Essay
Dekker and van der Krogt illustrate and discuss a similar Fitz globe on page 129 of Globes from the Western World, stating that Ellen Eliza Fitz (b.1836) patented her design for a new method of mounting globes in 1875. Ms Fitz was a governess working in St John County, New Brunswick; hers was the first design for globe-mounting to have been invented by a woman. In 1876 she published a Handbook of the Terrestrial Globe; or, Guide or Fitz's New Method of Mounting and Operating Globes which includes an interesting appendix on the construction of a sphere:
"A globe is made of pasted paper, eight or ten layers of this being applied successively to a mould prepared for this purpose. As this coating becomes dry, it shrinks and fits tightly over the mould; from which it is then removed, first being divided into two hemispheres. A turned stick of right length, with a short wire in each end for poles, is now introduced, one end in each hemisphere; and the two shells, being brought together, are secured by gluing their edges. The ball is now hung within a steel semicircle just fitting its exterior, and coated with a composition of glue and whiting. Being made to revolve, the excess of the composition is removed by the circle; and the ball is thus turned smooth and true, after which it is carefully dried."
The example that Dekker and van der Krogt illustrate is likewise a Fitz Globe by Ginn and Heath, but of 12-inch diameter, and dated on the trade label 1879. It would appear that this example dates from earlier, the 1879 edition showing ocean currents (here lacking) and with Baja California labelled Lower California. However, it is more than likely that Ginn & Heath, on taking up the license to produce globes on the Fitz mounting, initially used up their old stock, or even that of other manufacturers, in order to capitalise on the initial novelty. The trade cartouche is overlaid, rather than having been engraved on the original gores. Thus the sphere is not necessarily entirely contemporaneous with the stand, but they were certainly sold together as a piece; although Tasmania shows as VAN DIEMEN'S LAND (the name it bore until 1846), Alaska is shown as American thus dating the sphere, at least, to after 1867.
"A globe is made of pasted paper, eight or ten layers of this being applied successively to a mould prepared for this purpose. As this coating becomes dry, it shrinks and fits tightly over the mould; from which it is then removed, first being divided into two hemispheres. A turned stick of right length, with a short wire in each end for poles, is now introduced, one end in each hemisphere; and the two shells, being brought together, are secured by gluing their edges. The ball is now hung within a steel semicircle just fitting its exterior, and coated with a composition of glue and whiting. Being made to revolve, the excess of the composition is removed by the circle; and the ball is thus turned smooth and true, after which it is carefully dried."
The example that Dekker and van der Krogt illustrate is likewise a Fitz Globe by Ginn and Heath, but of 12-inch diameter, and dated on the trade label 1879. It would appear that this example dates from earlier, the 1879 edition showing ocean currents (here lacking) and with Baja California labelled Lower California. However, it is more than likely that Ginn & Heath, on taking up the license to produce globes on the Fitz mounting, initially used up their old stock, or even that of other manufacturers, in order to capitalise on the initial novelty. The trade cartouche is overlaid, rather than having been engraved on the original gores. Thus the sphere is not necessarily entirely contemporaneous with the stand, but they were certainly sold together as a piece; although Tasmania shows as VAN DIEMEN'S LAND (the name it bore until 1846), Alaska is shown as American thus dating the sphere, at least, to after 1867.