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Lot Essay
John Senex, F.R.S. (d. 1749) was well known as a publisher of atlases, maps and geographical texts, issuing his Treatise on the Description and Use of both Globes in 1718. He started production of globes in 1706 and worked in collaboration with the London publisher, Charles Price, until 1710. In 1728 he was appointed Fellow of the Royal Society, for which he prepared his paper of 1738, Contrivance to make the Poles of the Diurnal Motion in a Celestial Globe pass round the Poles of the Ecliptic.
Following his death in 1749, his work was continued by his widow until 1755 when his stock of copper plates, moulds and tools was acquired at auction by James Ferguson, F.R.S. (1710-1776); only one set of plates escaped, being the set for the Senex-Price celestial pocket globe and those for a newly engraved matching terrestrial sphere, which went to the celebrated instrument-maker, George Adams, Sen. (1704-1772). By the time Adams issued his globes from these plates, the celestial was already out of date. James Ferguson updated and reissued some of the Senex globes, but he was not a good businessman and only two years later in 1757 he was forced to sell his stock to Benjamin Martin (1704-1782) who continued to update and issue the Senex globes from his own establishment in Fleet Street, 'The Globe and Visual Glasses'.
A pair of George III terrestrial and celestial globes by John Senex and Benjamin Martin were exhibited at Treasures of the North, Christie's, London, 13 January - 13 February 2000, no. 107.
Following his death in 1749, his work was continued by his widow until 1755 when his stock of copper plates, moulds and tools was acquired at auction by James Ferguson, F.R.S. (1710-1776); only one set of plates escaped, being the set for the Senex-Price celestial pocket globe and those for a newly engraved matching terrestrial sphere, which went to the celebrated instrument-maker, George Adams, Sen. (1704-1772). By the time Adams issued his globes from these plates, the celestial was already out of date. James Ferguson updated and reissued some of the Senex globes, but he was not a good businessman and only two years later in 1757 he was forced to sell his stock to Benjamin Martin (1704-1782) who continued to update and issue the Senex globes from his own establishment in Fleet Street, 'The Globe and Visual Glasses'.
A pair of George III terrestrial and celestial globes by John Senex and Benjamin Martin were exhibited at Treasures of the North, Christie's, London, 13 January - 13 February 2000, no. 107.