Van der Krogt states that: "N. Lane was 'probably an unimportant printer of maps in London' (Stevenson, 1921, vol. II, p. 183). Except from the pocket globe of 1776, signed N. Lane, he is said to be the author of a pair of miniature globes of 1825 (an earlier edition of Lae 5/6?). The pocket globe of 1818 (Lae 3/4, cf. lot xx) is attributed to Lieut. Michael Lane, a marine surveyor trained by James Cook". Lae 5/6 are a pair of terrestrial and celestial 7.5cm. diameter pocket globes, made after 1833. Van der Krogt illustrates Lae 5, which bears a similar label to the present example, but without a date, and uses similar wording (e.g. "Anson's going out"), but the gores have been re-engraved with improved cartography. The present globe, Lae 3/4 and Lae 5/6 would seem to form a coherent group, all by the same maker who signed them "LANE'S": the terrestrial globe Lae 3 also marks Cook's and Anson's voyages and has a similar prime meridian to the present globe, "prime meridian of London (dotted line)", whereas Lae 1 (the terrestrial globe of 1776, signed "N. Lane") has a prime meridian running through the Canary Islands. Clifton describes Nicholas Lane as working between 1776 and 1783, which would support the conclusion that these three globes were not by Nicholas Lane.