Gallery: 400 Years of Beautiful, Historical, and Powerful Globes

  • Image may contain Lamp Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space and Planet
    British Library
    01

    175

    This ridiculously awesome moon globe was made by the artist John Russell in 1797.
  • Image may contain Lamp Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Planet and Globe
    British Library
    02

    176

    John Russell's moon globe from another angle.
  • Image may contain Helmet Clothing Apparel Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Planet and Globe
    British Library
    03

    173

    This pocket globe is just three inches in diameter. It was made in 1793 by Scotsman John Miller.
  • Image may contain Helmet Clothing Apparel Sphere Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Planet and Globe
    British Library
    04

    85

    This is the oldest terrestrial globe known to be made in China. It dates to 1623.
  • Image may contain Diagram Plan and Plot
    British Library
    05

    103

    These gores, the printed sheets that cover a globe, date to around 1700.
  • Image may contain Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Planet and Globe
    British Library
    06

    80

    This celestial globe was made in the early 1600s by famed Dutch cartographer Willem Blaeu.
  • Image may contain Astronomy Universe Space and Outer Space
    British Library
    07

    152-153

    This 1772 celestial globe pays homage to the hottest tech trends of its time with call outs to constellations like Microscopium and Telescopium.
  • This pocket globe from around 1715 is less than three inches across.
    British Library
    08

    108

    This pocket globe, from around 1715, is less than three inches across.
  • Image may contain Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Planet and Globe
    British Library
    09

    188

    This tiny pocket globe made in 1831 is just 1.5 inches in diameter. Dotted lines trace voyages by Captain Cook and other explorers.
  • Image may contain Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Planet Sphere and Globe
    British Library
    10

    120

    Another beautiful pocket globe, this one from 1731.
  • Image may contain Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Lamp and Planet
    British Library
    11

    207

    This "dissected globe" dates to around 1866. At the time such items were a popular toy for children.
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