1887 Smith's Terrestrial Globe
DESCRIPTION
This late Victorian terrestrial globe, issued by George Philip & Son under the title Smith’s Terrestrial Globe, is a finely produced English educational instrument from the height of imperial cartography. Measuring approximately 12 inches in diameter, the globe retains its original engraved paper gores with hand colored political boundaries and is mounted within a graduated metal meridian ring and broad printed horizon band. Both scientifically functional and visually impressive, it reflects the period’s emphasis on geographic literacy and global awareness.
A World in Transition
The cartography captures the globe at a precise transitional moment in the late nineteenth century. Africa shows the Congo Free State, established after the Berlin Conference of 1884–85, while Burma appears fully incorporated into British India following its annexation in 1886. In Southeast Asia, Tonkin, Annam, and Cochin China are labeled separately rather than under the later unified designation of French Indo China, formally organized in late 1887. These geopolitical markers allow the globe to be dated with confidence to circa 1887, at the threshold of rapid imperial consolidation.
Oceans are engraved with current systems and major sea routes, mountain ranges are shaded in relief, and principal rivers and cities are clearly identified. The engraving and typography are characteristic of George Philip & Son’s late nineteenth century production, combining clarity with dense informational detail. The globe presents a world increasingly structured by European colonial administration, yet still in flux before later boundary refinements became standardized.
Stand and Celestial Apparatus
The sphere rests within a dark metal meridian ring graduated for latitude, allowing it to be tilted for instructional use. Surrounding the globe is a wide printed horizon band displaying the months of the year, zodiac signs, compass points, and degree calibrations, enabling demonstrations of celestial relationships and seasonal change. The stand consists of four turned wooden legs joined by cross stretchers that meet at a central block, forming a stable and well proportioned base typical of English educational furniture of the period.
Together, the globe, meridian, horizon ring, and stand form a cohesive late Victorian ensemble that embodies both scientific purpose and decorative appeal. Issued at a moment when imperial borders were being actively redrawn, it stands as a tangible record of the global order as understood in 1887, reflecting Britain’s educational ambitions and expanding geopolitical reach.
CONDITION
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