Newton's 25-inch globes

Title Newton's New Terrestrial Globe... [and] Newton's New Celestial Globe.... compiled from the most recent authentic surveys of British and foreign navigators and travellers, London. [and] on which all the Fixed Stars, Nebulae and Clusters contained in the catalogues of Flamstead, Dayer, Lacaille, Piazzi, Hevelius, Mayer, Sits YV J Herschel, Dunlop and Messier as laid down together with the additional Stars noticed in the recent Catalogue of the British Association, the positions of the whole having been recalculated for the Year I860 bv Mr W. Newton, London.

Author NEWTON & Son

Publisher Manufactured by Newton and Son, 66 Chancery Lane

Publication place London

Publication date March, 25th, 1852, celestial globe dated 1860

Terrestrial and celestial globes, each with 24 hand-coloured engraved split-half gores and with engraved brass hour dial to poles and meridian, paper horizon ring, on an earlier mahogany tripod of c1820 with cabriole legs, joined by three stretchers centred by a compass.

Notes

An impressive pair of Newton and Son's 635mm (25 inch) globes, the largest globes the firm advertised.

Biography
During the first half of the nineteenth 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 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.

John Newton (1759-1844) was trained by Thomas Bateman (fl1754-81), who had previously been apprenticed to Nathaniel Hill (fl1746-1768). Newton's first globe was a revised edition of Hill's 1754 pocket globe, which he published in 1783 in association with William Palmer. The partnership dissolved shortly after, and Newton continued to publish the pocket globe under his own name. John's second son William Newton (1786-1861) joined the firm between 1814-1816, which traded under the name J. & W. Newton. In the same year the firm produced a new series of globes, including a new pocket globe.

By the 1830s the firm was also active as a patent agent and was joined by Miles Berry, a civil engineer and patent agent, after which the firm was known as Newton, Berry & Son. In 1842, William's eldest son, William Edward Newton (1818-1879), joined the business, followed by his brother Alfred Vincent Newton (1821-1900). The firm became known as W. Newton & Son, or once again, on the death of William, as simply Newton & Son from 1861 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 150 to 635mm (1 to 25 inches) in diameter, they were awarded a prize medal for a manuscript terrestrial globe of six feet in diameter.

Geography
The globes feature cartography updated in 1852 as described in a printed label. This is the same year when the Newton firm opened new premises on Fleet Street.

Astronomy
The globe features cartography updated in 1860 as described as featuring "all the Fixed Stars, Nebulae and Clusters contained in the catalogues of Flamstead, Dayer, Lacaille, Piazzi, Hevelius, Mayer, Sits YV J Herschel, Dunlop and Messier as laid down together with the additional Stars noticed in the recent Catalogue of the British Association, the positions of the whole having been recalculated for the Year 1860 by Mr W. Newton, London".

Dimensions

Price

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Stock number