Pair of Miniature Globes. Lane’s, London post 1833, ante 1858

Pair of miniature globes
Lane’s, London, post 1833, ante 1858
Papier-mâché, wood and paper

They measure:
Height 9.44 in (24 cm);
Sphere diameter 2.75 in (7 cm);
Diameter of the wooden base 4.17 in (10.6 cm).
Weight 0.73 lb (335 g)

State of conservation:
Both the terrestrial and the celestial globes have some small gaps, abrasions and stains on the surface; the second, in particular, has a less legible surface than the other due to the oxidation of the paper, as well as, in both, the horizon circle. The two spheres differ in color.

Both globes, the terrestrial and celestial, rest on their original "English" tripod bases in carved wood.

The terrestrial globe in the North Pacific Ocean, above the Tropic of Cancer, bears a cartouche with the inscription:

LANE’S
Improved
GLOBE
LONDON

Much of central Africa is empty and the great lakes Tanganyika and Victoria are not marked (Europeans would begin to explore the area after 1858). Australia is still called New Holland, although it had been given its present name in 1824; Tasmania is listed as an island (Matthew Flinders circumnavigates it in 1798). The routes of Cook's and Anson's various voyages are plotted; also marked is the route followed by Biscoe in 1833 and the "Land of Enderby" which he discovered on the coast of Antarctica, south of Africa.
On the celestial globe, stars and constellations are indicated in Latin and many are represented by the corresponding mythological figures.

The current state of the studies does not allow for the reconstruction of the entire history of the Lane family. They were manufacturers of globes - especially pocket-sized ones - and the founder of the company in the 1770s was almost certainly Nicholas (perhaps a relative of John I, John II or James, all of whom were active in manufacturing scientific instruments for other entrepreneurs, starting from 1733); his son Thomas continued the business until at least the early decades of the nineteenth century. Then it is not clear which family members took over the management of the company. The sources have so far provided the names (George, John), but not the kinship relationships between them; the only certain fact is that the production of Lane branded globes continued until about the middle of the 19th century.

Bibliography:
P. Van der Krogt, Old Globes in the Netherlands, H&S, Utrecht 1984, pp. 180-182;
G. Clifton, Directory of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851, London 1995, s. v.;
E. Dekker, Globes at Greenwich, Oxford 1999, pp. 128-129, 393-394.