Rare Pocket Globe Signed Newton Dated 1817 In Its Shagreen Case

Superb and rare Newton pocket globe, 9 cm in diameter (3.5 inches), preserved in its original shagreen case. Dated January 1817, it illustrates the planetary system as it was known at the beginning of the 19th century. Its circular brass meridian, graduated in degrees, testifies to the high quality of manufacture of the Newton workshops. Comparable models are today preserved in prestigious institutions such as the Science Museum in London, the Greenwich Museum, as well as in several international museum collections. Pocket globes, which appeared in the 17th century, were true objects of knowledge and prestige: at once educational tools, navigational aids and decorative objects, they were prized by scientists and enlightened amateurs. Compact (3.5 inch diameter), this rare model combines elegance and scientific precision. The Newtons were one of the most important London families specializing in the manufacture of terrestrial and celestial globes between the end of the 17th century and the 19th century.