A FINE PAIR OF GEORGE III/REGENCY 12 INCH LIBRARY TABLE GLOBES

A FINE PAIR OF GEORGE III/REGENCY 12 INCH LIBRARY TABLE GLOBES Thomas Bardin and William & Samuel Jones, London, 1817 and 1800The terrestrial sphere applied with twelve coloured printed gores incorporating panel inscribed THE, NEW TWELVE INCH, BRITISH, Terrestrial Globe, REPRESENTING THE, ACCURATE POSITIONS OF THE PRINCIPAL, KNOWN PLACES OF THE EARTH., FROM THE DISCOVERIES OF, CAPTIAN COOK, AND SUBSEQUENT CIRCUMNAVIGATORS, TO THE PRESENT PERIOD, with corrections and additions to, 1817, Manufactured by T.M. Bardin 16 Salisbury Square London to North Pacific and extensively annotated with principal cities, towns, rivers, lakes, mountains and other significant topographical features, the oceans with all significant islands labelled, the West Pacific with THE ANALEMMA of the equation of time, and the Equator lines divided in minutes and degrees, the ECLIPTIC graduated in minutes; the celestial annotated with major constellations incorporating fanciful figural representations and stars graded in seven orders of magnitude, the Equator and Ecliptic both divided for minutes and degrees and the lower hemisphere with panel inscribed THE, NEW TWELVE INCH, British Celestial Globe, Containing the exact position of more than 3800 FIXD STARS, Nebulae, Planetary Nebulae, &c: according, to the Latest Discoveries and Observations of Dr Maskelyne, Dr Herschel and other eminent, Astronomers, And adapted to the, present period 1800, with a second overlaid cartouche nearby inscribed SOLD BY, W. & S. JONES, Holborn, London, each sphere with poles incorporating brass hour rings and pivots for mounting within brass meridian circles divided for degrees, resting in wooden stands with matching hand coloured paper horizon rings each graduated in degrees in two directions, days-of-the-month and houses of the Zodiac with names and symbols and also displaying compass directions, the stands each with four curved quadrant supports for the horizon ring over squat ring-turned baluster upright issuing three cabriole supports with pointed pad feet with compass stretcher between, (the celestial faded and part restored and both compasses incomplete). 63cm (24.75ins) high, 43cm (17ins) wide overall. Thomas Marriott Bardin is recorded in Clifton, Gloria Directory of Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851 as a globe maker apprenticed to his father, William, in 1783 with whom he went into partnership in 1790. Bardin and Son initially worked from 4 Hind Court, Fleet Street, London before moving to 16 Salisbury Square in 1975. William Bardin died in 1795 leaving the business in the hands of Thomas who remained working from the same address until 1839. William and Samuel Jones are recorded by Clifton as optical, mathematical and philosophical instrument makers who worked from several addresses in Holborn 1791-1859 including 135 Holborn (1792-1800) and 30 Holborn (1800-1860). It is interesting to note that the celestial of this pair does not bear the name of Bardin, however it was common practice for the vendors of globes to put their own trade label over that of the manufacturer. Indeed, this was a matter of course with Bardin-supplied globes retailed by the Jones's such was the nature of their trading relationship (bearing in mind that very often it was William Jones who had designed the globe in the first place).Condition Report: The celestial sphere is part restored; the varnish has been removed and an area around the base pivot has been filled (approx. 5-6cm diameter). The brass ring for the north pole is currently detached otherwise sphere is in sound condition but with overall fading/patchy brown staining and heavy fading to surface and few light scuffs to the gores. The meridian papers are in good condition with only slight shrinkage evident. The compass is lacking its glass and needle but the paper is present and in good condition the stand and brass fittings are in good condition.The terrestrial sphere is in sound original condition retaining old surface with only a few very slight varnish scuffs mainly near the southern pivot. The gores show some slight signs of opening/movement where they meet and the sphere has some loose material internally which can be heard when the sphere is rotated. There is overall age related discolouration/fazing to the surface but gores are generally clear and colours relatively strong. The meridian papers are heavily discoloured and worn with losses. The meridian ring is in sound condition. The stand and brass fittings are in sound condition, the compass is missing its paper, needle and glass. Condition Report Disclaimer