Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Volume 2 / Their History and Construction Including a Consideration of their Value as Aids in the Study of Geography and Astronomy

by Edward Luther Stevenson

Nollet’s instruments, made for use in the study of the physical sciences, included terrestrial and celestial globes, six of which have been located, dated 1728 and 1730. The spheres are of papier-mâché, having each a diameter of about 35 cm.[147] The engraved maps covering the spheres are composed of twelve gores, which are cut at the line of the equator but extend to the poles, omitting therefore the usual polar circular discs. Each is furnished with a horizon circle of wood, on the surface of which is the usual paper covering with the names of the principal directions, of the zodiacal constellations, and of the names of the months in concentric circles. Each also has a graduated meridian circle, the whole resting on a base of four turned and rather artistically fashioned columns.

His terrestrial globes have the following title: “Globe terrestre dressé sur les observations les plus nouvelles et le plus exactes approuvées par M^rs de l’Académie Royale des sciences. À Paris avec privilège du Roi. Monté par l’auteur.” “Terrestrial globe made according to the most recent and the most exact and approved observations by the Royal Academy of Sciences. Paris, with the approval of the King. Made by the author.” The dedication reads “Dédié et présenté à S. A. Madame La Duchesse du Maine par son très-humble et très-obéissant serviteur Nollet Lic. en Théologie. 1728.” “Dedicated and presented to Her Highness the Duchess of Maine by her very humble and very obedient servant Nollet Licentiate in Theology. 1728.” Numerous inscriptions relate to well-known geographical discoveries. Meridian and parallel circles are drawn on the globe at intervals of five degrees, the principal ones, including the equator, the tropics, and polar circles, being made especially prominent. The prime meridian, passing through the Island of Ferro, is designated “premier méridien de l’Isle Fer. Déclaration du Roi Louis XIII du Juil. 1634.”

The celestial globe is titled “Globe céleste calculé pour l’année 1730 sur les observations les plus nouvelles et les plus exactes. À Paris avec privilège du Roi. Bailleul le jeune sculpsit. Monté par l’auteur.” “Celestial globe calculated to the year 1730 according to the most recent and the most exact observations. Paris, with the privilege of the King. Bailleul the younger engraver. Constructed by the author.” It is dedicated “Dédié et présenté à S. A. S. Monseigneur le Comte de Clermont par son très-humble et très-obéissant serviteur Nollet de la Société des Arts. 1730.” “Dedicated and presented to His Most Serene Highness Seigneur The Count of Clermont by his very humble and very obedient servant Nollet of the Society of Arts. 1730.” The equatorial circle and the ecliptic, as represented on the map, are graduated, but the tropics and the polar circles are merely drawn as continuous black lines. The figures representing the several Ptolemaic constellations are artistically drawn and retain much of their original color, which was added by hand at the time of construction.

Of Nollet’s globes a pair may be found in the Biblioteca Maldotti of Guastalla, a pair in the Seminario Vescovile of Mondovi, a copy of the terrestrial in the Archivo Fenaroli of Brescia, and a copy of the celestial in the Museo Astronomico of Rome.

Johann Gabriel Doppelmayr (1671-1750) was one of Nürnberg’s famous eighteenth-century mathematicians who was especially distinguished as writer, translator, editor, and teacher.[148] A part of his early training he received at the Egedian Gymnasium of his native town, where from 1704 to the time of his death he was actively engaged as teacher of mathematics and physics. In the year 1696 we find him registered as a student of law at the University of Altdorf, though turning betimes with much enthusiasm to the study of mathematics under the direction of Joh. Christoph Sturm. In the year 1700, after some months passed at the University of Halle, he determined to add to his equipment for his life work such experience as could be gained through travel; accordingly he visited in turn the more important cities of his own country and those of Holland and England, spending in his travels a period of ten years. Among his more important publications may be mentioned a translation of the ‘Astronomy’ of Thomas Street,[149] a work by Bion in a German translation from the French, which at the same time he enlarged.[150] His ‘Einleitung zur Geographie,’ appearing as an introduction to Homann’s ‘Atlas’ issued in the year 1714, and his ‘Atlas Coelestis,’ issued in the year 1742, are among his more important works original in character, which he published on the subject of geography and astronomy. His principal work is his ‘Notes’ on the mathematicians and artists of Nürnberg.[151]

It was doubtless through his connection with the cartographical establishment of Homann that he felt induced to undertake the construction of his globes, examples of which exist dated 1728. In the collection belonging to The Hispanic Society of America (Fig. [126]) there may be found a fine example of his terrestrial globes, which has a diameter of about 32 cm. Over a carefully prepared hollow wooden ball twelve gores, cut at the line of the equator and five degrees from each pole, have been pasted. The small polar spaces lying between latitudes 85 degrees, both north and south, are covered by circular discs, having a diameter of but ten degrees, on the one is engraved “Polus Arcticus” and on the other “Polus Antarcticus.” The globe is furnished with a narrow graduated meridian of brass within which the sphere turns on its polar axis, a horizon circle of wood, circular on its inner edge but octagonal on the outer. The engraved paper strip containing the zodiacal figures, calendar, and directions, has practically disappeared. The base support consists of four small turned columns of wood, attached at their lower extremities by crossbars over which is a circular plate, provision having been made for insertion into its surface of a compass, which instrument, however, has disappeared. Excepting slight damage to its horizon circle the globe may be said to be in an excellent state of preservation. In a neat cartouch in the North Pacific is the title legend reading, “Globus terrestris in quo locorum insigniorum situs terraeque facies secundum praecipuas celeberrimorum nostri aevi Astronomorum et Geographorum observationes opera Joh. Gabr. Doppelmaieri Mathem. Prof. Publ. Norib. exhibentur, concinnatus a Joh. Georg. Puschnero Chalcographo Norib. A. C. 1728.” “Terrestrial globe on which the position of the principal places on the surface of the earth are shown according to the principal observations of the most celebrated astronomers and geographers of our times by the labor of John Gabriel Doppelmayr, mathematician, professor and publisher of Nürnberg. Engraved by John George Puschner, engraver of Nürnberg[152] in the year 1728.” An interesting legend in the South Pacific tells us “Exprimit Globus hic noster quicquid Geographia recens ex Observationibus fide dignis suppeditat tam in situ locorum plurium, quam in terrarum novarum etiam mariumque ambitu. Meridianus primus per Insulam Fer inter Canarias (quae olim Fortunatae dicebantur) occidentalissimam ductus a quo Parisiensis Meridianus Probatissimarum Observationum testimonio 20 Gradibus, Noribergensis vero 28 Gr. 40 Min: distat.” “This globe of ours shows that which the latest geographical information furnishes from the trustworthy observations both as regards the location of new places and the extent of the new lands and seas. The first meridian passes through the Island of Ferro in the Canary Islands (called the Fortunate Islands), which is the most western point and from which the meridian of Paris, according to the testimony of the most approved observations differs by 22 degrees, while that of Nürnberg differs by 28 degrees and 40 minutes.” Around this legend are the engraved portraits of famous explorers, “Mart. Bohemus Norimbegus,” “Americus Vesputi,” “Franc. Draco,” “Schouten,” “Georg Spilbergius,” “R. P. Tachard,” “Wilh. Dampier,” “Mon. de la Salle,” “Thomas Candisch,” “Olivirius a Nord,” “Ferdin. Magellanicus,” “Christ. Columbus.”

Fig. 126. Terrestrial Globe of Johann Gabriel Doppelmayr, 1728.

While the representation of the world is not so detailed in certain respects as we find, for example, on the Valk globes, there nevertheless is the evidence that the author wished to include such information as in his judgment should be recorded. There are records of interest in the newly explored regions of America. California is laid down as a peninsula. In about latitude 41 degrees there appears a Drake record reading “Pt. F. Drack.” “Fretum Anian” is represented at latitude 45 degrees. Sixty degrees to the west of this is the somewhat indefinitely indicated coast line of “Terra Borealis incognita detecta Dom. Ioh. de Gama,” this being separated from the coast of “Kamtzadalia Terra Jedso” by “Fretum Vries.” The recently explored regions in the Far East, as in Australia, New Zealand, Van Diemen’s Land,—each, however, being represented as imperfectly known,—are made very prominent. There are scarcely any map records of the period more interesting than are those to be found on this globe of Doppelmayr’s. The routes of Magellan, 1519; Nord, 1600; Roggeveen, 1722; Dampier, 1700; Tasman, 1624; Loys, 1708; Lemaire, 1616, are all laid down. In latitude 60 degrees south and longitude 300 degrees we find, “Port detecta per Fr. Drack,” and again in latitude 67 degrees south and longitude 310, “I. deton detecta per F. Drack.”