A FINE GEORGE II 2.75 INCH TERRESTRIAL POCKET GLOBENATHANIEL...

Estimate

£6,000 - £8,000

A FINE GEORGE II 2.75 INCH TERRESTRIAL POCKET GLOBENATHANIEL HILL, LONDON, PUBLISHED 1754 The sphere applied with twelve hand coloured engraved printed gores and two polar calottes, the equatorial graduated in degrees and hours and the ecliptic showing the symbols of the zodiac, the prime meridian marked with a dotted line passing through London and the land masses outlined in colour with many countries and states labelled including NEW HOLLAND partly shown, land north of the Mississippi R. labelled Unknown Parts, Antarctica not delineated and annotated ICE SEA only below Cape Horn, the North Pacific with rococo cartouche inscribed A NEW, Terrestrial, GLOBE, by Nath Hill, 1754, the poles pierced for axis pins; contained within original ray skin covered case lined with twelve hand coloured printed gores and two polar calottes with equatorial and ecliptic lines matching the terrestrial globe, stars expressed in varying orders of magnitude and allegorical representations of the constellations finely executed, the exterior with twin hook and eye securing latches.The sphere 7cm (2.75ins) diameter; the case 7.6cm (3ins) diameter overall.Nathaniel Hill is recorded in Clifton, Gloria Directory of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851 as working from 'The Sun & Globe' Chancery Lane, Fleet Street, London 1746-1764. He was apprenticed to the celebrated early globe-maker, Richard Cushee, and latterly took-on his Chancery Lane address. Nathaniel Hill was in-turn succeeded by Thomas Bateman who was then followed by John Newton. Indeed Hill's plates for the present globe were used the basis for Newton's first pocket globe (1783) with relatively few updates. Nathaniel Hill's 1754 pocket globe proved particularly popular which might, in part, be due to competitive pricing, as it cost seven shillings six pence versus ten shillings for others by makers such as Senex and Martin and Dudley Adams.

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Globe is in very good original condition retaining old varnish surface with only light wear and mellowing/discoloration evident. There is a very small (2mm) scuff on the 'Artic circle' above the title cartouche and another less noticeable scuff off the west coast of Africa otherwise only light rubbing is evident. There is no visible evidence of cracks, bruises or restoration. The poles a pierced for axis pivots but none are fitted. The case is also in fine original condition although it has distorted vert slightly. The celestial papers are in fine condition with strong colouring and only a few small spots of discolouration and very light wear to the edges of the opening sections. The exterior is veneered in panels of ray skin with some slight shrinkage/opening to the joins only.