BY J. & W. NEWTON, LONDON, CIRCA 1818

Details

A REGENCY 47 CM. TERRESTRIAL GLOBE
BY J. & W. NEWTON, LONDON, CIRCA 1818
NEWTON'S/New and Improved/TERRESTRIAL GLOBE/Accurately delineated from the observations of the most esteemed NAVIGATORS and TRAVELLERS/To the present time/Published 1 July 1818/Manufactured by J&W NEWTON/No. 66, Chancery Lane, LONDON, made up of twelve hand-coloured engraved gores and two polar calottes, the equatorial graduated in degrees and hours, the ocean with an analemma, with two engraved brass hour dials and engraved brass meridian ring, the hand-coloured engraved horizon showing degrees of amplitude and azimuth, days of the month and of the houses of the Zodiac and a star-chart showing the path of the ecliptic, raised on a mahogany stand with three curved supports to a ringed baluster column and three inswept legs with castors, a glazed compass held between with wind rose, double degree scale and black painted steel needle; the globe with paste on label The British Antique Dealers Association/for customs purposes only/Certified over 100 years old
47 cm. (18.5 inch) diam., 105 cm. high overall

Special notice

Christie’s charges a premium to the buyer on the Hammer Price of each lot sold at the following rates: 29.75% of the Hammer Price of each lot up to and including €5,000, plus 23.8% of the Hammer Price between €5,001 and €400,000, plus 14.28% of any amount in excess of €400,001. Buyer’s premium is calculated on the basis of each lot individually.

Lot Essay

During the first half of the 19th Century, the firm of Newton, together with Bardin and Cary, occupied a leading position in the manufacture of globes in London. The firm was established by John Newton (1759-1844) in 1783 and operated originally from the Globe & Sun 128 Chancery Lane, moving to 97 Chancery Lane in 1803, before settling at 66 Chancery Lane in 1817. In 1818 he was joined by his son William (1786-1861) and from 1818 the firm published globes under the names of Newton & Son and J. & W. Newton, the addition being William (1786-1861), son of John. William was a valuable addition to the firm, operating also as a patent agent, and in 1832 his familiar introduction to astronomy and the use of globes was published to accompany the globes they produced. The company's name changed again in the 1830's, to Newton, Son & Berry (1832-1841) as they were joined by Miles Berry (another patent agent and civil engineer). William's son, William Edward (1818-1879), joined in 1838 and the firm became known as W. Newton & Son, or once again simply Newton & Son from 1841 until about 1883. Perhaps the greatest triumph for the Newton family was the Great Exhibition of 1851, where aside from the globes they exhibited from 1 to 25in. diameter, they were awarded a prize medal for a manuscript terrestrial globe of six feet diameter. See also: E. Dekker and P. van der Krogt, Globes from the Western World, London, 1993, p. 118, 119, 177.

More from European Noble and Private Collections

View All