Fig. 129a. Globe of L. C. Desnos, 1782.
In the year 1754 Desnos issued a pair of globes somewhat larger in size, giving to them a diameter of about 26 cm. Copies of these globes may be found in the private library of the Marquis Lalatta Costerbosa of Parma. In their general features they resemble the previous edition, with every evidence that the author wished to bring his records to date and to make them quite as full as his space would allow, noting in one of his inscriptions, “Nous n’avons tracé que par des points la figure des terres que l’Admiral De Fonté détaille dans se lettre que Mr. Delisle a rédu publique, en attendant l’authenticité de cette lettre, se que les relations des nouvelles découvertes rendent probable.” In the year 1772, it appears, he issued a third edition, noting that he had made use of the most recent observations of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Paris, bringing his star records down to the year 1770. Copies of this edition are in Piacenza.
Gian Francesco Costa, a Venetian engineer, architect, and engraver, gave some attention to the construction of globes.[166] In the year 1754 he prepared and issued, for the Venetian Academy, a terrestrial and a celestial globe, each about 24 cm. in diameter, basing the former on the work of Delisle and the latter on the observations and records of the English astronomer, John Flamsteed.[167] There is little of special value attaching to the globes of Costa. They give merely the well-known geographical and astronomical records of the day. Copies of his celestial globe may be found in the Biblioteca Municipale of Cagli and in the Osservatorio Astronomico of Rome. Fiorini refers to a copy of the terrestrial as belonging to the Biblioteca Universitorio of Urbino, and to one in the private library of Canon Ettore Fronzi of Senigallia.
There is said to be a fine manuscript terrestrial globe, dated 1756, in the private library of Professor Maximilian Tono, director of the Osservatorio Patriarcale di S. Maria della Salute in Venice. The ball is of wood, over which is a coating of varnish, and on this a world map has been drawn by hand. It appears to have been constructed merely for the personal use of the maker, P. Francesco Grandi.
In Andrea Akerman we find a native of Sweden interested in the matter of globe making. Observing him to be one in possession of commendable talents, the Academy of Sciences of Stockholm, about the year 1750, granted to him a subsidy for the establishment of a workshop in Upsala. Here he undertook the construction of a terrestrial and of a celestial globe. So successful was his enterprise that, we are told, his productions found favor not only among those interested in his field within his own country, but among those similarly interested in Denmark, Germany, and Russia. Lalande makes mention of his work published through the Geographical Society of Upsala, dated 1776, noting that they had a diameter of about 22 inches.[168] A copy of his celestial globe may be found in the Osservatorio Astronomico of Milan, having a diameter of about 59 cm. It has an author and date legend, reading “Globus coelestis ex Catalogo Brittanico et De la Caillii observationibus ad annum 1800 cura Soc. Cosmog. Upsal. delineatus ab Andrea Akerman Reg. S. S. Apt. sculptore 1766.”
A pair of Akerman’s globes may also be found in the Geographisches Institut of Göttingen, the terrestrial dated 1759, and the celestial dated 1760 and dedicated to the President of the Academy of Sciences by the Geographical Society of Upsala. His globes, it appears, were reissued by Frederick Akrel,[169] an engraver who had assisted him in his work. The reissue of the Akerman globes dated 1779 contained corrections and additions which brought them to date, a fact which is noted in the following legend: “Globus terraqueus cura Societatis cosmographicae Upsalensis, editus ab Andr. Akerman Nunc emendatus.... opera Frederici Akrel 1779.” “Terrestrial globe issued under the auspices of the Cosmographical Society of Upsala, edited by Andrea Akerman, now corrected.... the work of Frederick Akrel 1779.”
The Biblioteca Universitario of Bologna possesses a very interesting manuscript terrestrial globe (Fig. [128]), the work of P. D. Pietro Rosini, an Olivetan monk. Word from the librarian with photograph kindly sent[170] gives us the information that this splendid globe was constructed in the year 1762, that it is a fine example of the period and is in an excellent state of preservation. It has a diameter of about 150 cm., being one of the largest constructed in Italy. The sphere is constructed of wooden plates securely braced. It has a meridian circle of heavy brass, a horizon circle of wood, having on its upper surface the usual representations referring to the constellations of the zodiac, the names of the months, and the principal directions. The circle on its inner edge is fashioned to receive the sphere, but it has an outer edge which is octagonal. Over the surface of the ball irregular pieces of paper were pasted and on this the geographical map was drawn by hand. Practically all geographical names are in the Italian language, as are the few geographical legends. The author and date legend in Latin reads, “D. Petrus Rosini de Lendinara Monus Olivus fecit ann: 1762.” “D. Petrus Rosini of Lendinara, an Olivetan monk made this in the year 1762.” Fiorini cites a reference to a letter written by Rosini wherein he is referred to as a professor, noting that other information concerning him seems to be unobtainable. From the fact of his having constructed a terrestrial globe and of his reference in his letter to an eruption of Mount Vesuvius, one would obtain the impression that he was a lover of scientific studies, and especially of geography.
