FLETCHER, Peter (fl. circa 1851), Edinburgh

Details

FLETCHER, Peter (fl. circa 1851), Edinburgh
FLETCHER'S Six Inch Globe Constructed from the LATEST AUTHORITIES EDINBURGH
A 6-inch (15.2cm.) diameter terrestrial table globe, made up of twelve hand coloured printed gores and two polar calottes, the equatorial graduated in degrees and hours (in Roman numerals), the ecliptic graduated in days and showing the symbols of the houses of the zodiac, the countries coloured and outlined, the oceans showing shipping routes and information (e.g. Great Eastern Passage to China during the N.E. Monsoon, Route from England to the West Indies), ANALEMMA OR TABLE OF EQUATION OF TIME, Equator of Equal Temperature, the Antarctic with partial coastline showing South Victoria 1841 (dented and cracked, some loss of image) with brass half meridian ring, mounted on turned wooden column on turned plinth (damage to base of column) -- 11in. (28cm.) high; together with
FLETCHER'S Six Inch Globe Constructed from THE LATEST AUTHORITIES EDINBURGH Greek Letters or Figures prefixed to Stars denote British Catalogue. A point under Figures de la Caille H. Heveline C. Herschel M. Mayer
A 6-inch (15.2cm.) diameter celestial table globe, made up of twelve hand coloured printed gores and two polar calottes, the equatorial graduated in degrees and hours (in Roman numerals), the ecliptic graduated in days and naming the months, the constellations shown figuratively, the stars shown to six orders of magnitude (some surface abrasions with loss of image), with brass half meridian ring fixed at the ecliptic poles, mounted on turned wooden column on turned plinth -- 11in. (28cm.) high

See Colour Illustration and Details (2)

Literature

[The Great Exhibition] Reports by the Juries on the subjects in which the exhibition was divided (London, 1852)
Gloria Clifton Directory of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851 (London, 1995)

Lot Essay

The terrestial globe would seem to date from the mid 19th century, as Alaska, which was bought by America in 1867, is marked RUSSIAN AMERICA. Fletcher exhibited a pair of globes and the instruments used for making globes at the Great Exhibition of 1851, including an iron mould of which the jury commented: "by the adoption of iron instead of wood, the material generally used, all danger of warping is avoided, and much time is consequently saved". They also noted that: "the globes are well made and finished" (vol. II, p. 676).

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