Antique Globe, J. Lebègue & Cie éditeurs, Paris – Late 19th Century

The globe rests on a cast-iron tripod base, decorated with mascarons and lion’s-paw feet, and topped by an acorn-shaped finial. The brass meridian allows for the orientation and tilt of the sphere.

The firm J. Lebègue & Cie, founded in Brussels by Alphonse Nicolas Lebègue and later taken over by his son Jules, who expanded the business in Paris (30 rue de Lille), was one of the most renowned manufacturers of desk globes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Working with geographer R. Barbot and engraver J.G. Bernhard, the company distinguished itself through the quality of its ornate cast-iron bases—featuring mascarons and lion’s paws—and the precision of its cartographic spindles

Dimensions: Height 55 cm – Globe diameter 30 cm
Material: lithographed paper on a composite base, cast iron and brass frame
Period: France, late 19th century – early 20th century (circa 1880–1900)
Publisher: J. Lebègue & Cie, Paris