Best Historical Globes in the World
by Mark Jeffery, globemaker at goodwoodglobes
Call me old-fashioned, but I have a fondness for old globes, especially the ones that show land where we now know there’s only sea and sea where we now know there are whole continents. Some of the artwork on these historical globes is exquisite.
True antiques, are, of course, expensive, but contemporary facsimiles of old globes are surprisingly affordable, even if hand-made using traditional globemaking techniques. Here’s my hand-picked collection of some of the best historical globes in the world.
Henri globe – BEILUX
This beautiful historical globe is based on a 1636 map Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica AC Hydrographica Tabula by the cartographer Jodocus Hondius and the engraver Henri Le Roy.
The New World is shown in considerable detail, though California remains an island.
Price: $169
Martin Behaim’s 1492 Globe – Greaves & Thomas
A dark orb on a wrought iron stand, this facsimile of a 15th century globe is a fascinating historical piece.
Made in 1492, before Columbus reached America, Martin Behaim’s globe includes illustrations of fantastic beasts, but omits the soon-to-be-discovered New World.
Prices: £450 – £3,500 (around $600 – $4,700)
Explore other globe types:
Explore our globe guides:
Is your favourite historical globe not listed here? Tap here to tell us about it