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 Grace
Galleries, Inc
(Incorporated 1972)
Armillary Spheres and Globes
by Grace Galleries of Harpswell, Maine
The concept of the earth as a globe was known as
far back in time as the Greeks and Romans. But it was not until the
start of serious world exploration and trade, in the 16th. century,
that globes both terrestrial and celestial and their accompanying
armillary spheres and orreries, became important scientific and
astronomical instruments.
The armillary sphere was constructed of
rings, often brass or other metal representing the Horizon, the
Ecliptic, the Meridian and the Poles forming an imaginary sphere with
the earth as its center and intending to show the paths of certain
celestial bodies which appear to be projected against it. The orrery
was an apparatus showing the relative positions and motions of
bodies in the solar system, by balls moved by wheelwork.
In the 18th. century many prominent map and
atlas publishers also sold globes and spheres, both closely tied to
the study of cartography. So important had globes and the study of
astronomy become that the publishers included finely drawn engravings
of spheres, both apparent and imaginary or "artificielle" as
the French called them, in the front pages of their atlases.
These pages form the source of this fine
collection of copperplate engravings, any one of which would make a
delightful and highly decorative companion piece to maps, when framed
and hung side-by-side on the wall of a den, study, library, office or
general living areas. All items are handcolored copper engravings.
We invite you to call or e-mail us for
further information on these splendid one of a kind items.
Measurements are given in
inches, height first, then width.
This refers to printed image only. Margins are extra.
Photos shown on listings are
thumbnail versions.
Double click on thumbnails for a larger picture.
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 S&G103
- "Sphere
De Copernic. Sphere De Ptolemee" Brion De La Tour. Paris 1760.
11X19. Includes panels of explanatory text on either side of
spheres.
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$275 |
 S&G105
- "The
Armillary Sphere" Thomas Kelly. London 1817. 10X7½ |
$250 |
S&G110 - "The Artificial sphere."
T. Phinn. Engraved by
J. Hulett. From T. Salmon "A New Geographical & Historical Grammar
containing the True Astronomical & Geographical Knowledge of the
Terraqueous Globe." London. 1772. 7X4¼.
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$185 |
S&G111 - "De La Sphere. Zodiaque." A.
M. Mallet. Paris.
1683. From "Description de L'Univers." 6½X4¼. Includes two small globes,
one showing California as an island.
Text on verso (back) titled "De L'Equateur, ou
Equinoxial."
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$275
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 S&G116
- A.
DUFOUR “Uranographie”.
Paris. c. 1854.Colored. 10X15. Attractive chart includes a large
Armillary Sphere in center with circles of the Tropics, Ecliptic,
Equator & the Poles, includes a colorful wind-rose, the movement of the
planets around the Sun & the Moon's transits. Also includes a
hypothetical drawing of a coastal landscape indicating placements of
rivers, points, gulfs, an archipelago, mountains, capital cities, towns
& lakes as a key for map readers unfamiliar with cartographic terms and
placements. |
$175 |
The following copper engraved astronomical
views are from “Description De L'Univers” by Alllain Manesson-Mallet
(1630-1706) who served the King of France (Louis XIV) as “Maitre de
Mathematiques.” His books published in 5 volumes contained maps,
plans & views on a wide variety of geographical, astronomical &
scientific subjects & were originally published in France in 1683 with
two German editions following in 1684 & 1719. With the development of
the telescope the study of astronomy had become a popular science in the
late 17th & early 18th centuries, with pictorial views of the spheres,
sun, moon & planets much sought after by the general public. Armillary
Spheres, which showed the earth in relation to it's various circles such
as the ecliptic, equator, the tropics & meridian, could be found in
private & public libraries, schools & colleges, either in drawings or in
solid brass models which were also popular.as decorative features &
learning tools.
The views shown below were very finely drawn &
engraved & published in Frankfurt in 1719 by Allain Manesson-Mallet
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 S&G117
- “Untitled. 3 Armillary Spheres. 1.) Sphere Droite. 2.) Sphere
Palallele & 3.) Sphere Oblique.”
Frankfurt. 1719. Colored. 6X4. |
$175 |
 S&G118
- “Untitled. Armillary Sphere on a Stone Pedestal in a Landscape
Setting.”
Frankfurt. 1719. Colored. 6X4. . |
$185 |
 S&G119
- "Des Colures” Frankfurt. 1719. Colored.
6X4¼. Large Armillalry Sphere on a terrace bordered by trees in a
landscape setting. |
$225 |
 S&G120
- Untitled.
Armillary Sphere topped by drawings on a banner
depicting the earth's circumference as 360° & divided into a ½ at 180° &
a ¼ at 90°. Frankfurt. 1719. Colored. 6X4. |
$175 |
 S&G121
- “Zodiaque”
Frankfurt. 1719. Colored. 6X4. Armillary Sphere
with double hemisphere world map showing California as an Island in
North America, held up by an angelic figure. |
$250 |
 S&G122
- “A Voye Laictee Pole Arctique. (The North Pole.)”
Frankfurt. 1719. Colored. 6X4. A celestial polar
view of the planets, with a key reference table below the sphere,
listing 11 planets by name. |
$225 |
 S&G123
- Untitled.
Spherical celestial chart depicts the planets
over a moonlight harbor scene with ships at anchor in a bay. |
$225 |
 S&G124
- “Figures Des Planetes.”
Frankfurt. 1719. Colored. 6X4. Title is on a
flowing banner in the sky with the Sun, Moon, Venus & Mercury positioned
over a palatial mansion with figures strolling in a formal garden. |
$250 |
 S&G125
- G. L. LE ROUGE “Le Globe Celeste En Deux Plans Hemispheres.”
Paris. c. 1748. Colored. 8X10½. Very decorative
double hemisphere celestial chart shows allegorical representations of
the constellations & is bordered by small diagrams of the Sun, Saturn,
Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Mercury & the Moon. Includes 2 spherical charts
with north & south polar projections & a chart showing the phases of the
Moon. The overall chart was based on the observations of Philippe de la
Hire (1640-1718) a famous French astronomer & geodesist who was one of
the first to present the full celestial skies in a double hemisphere
format.A fine map in attractive color. |
$485 |
 S&G126
- L. BRION DE LA TOUR “Globe Terrestre & Globe Celeste.”
Paris. 1766. Colored. 11X12. In the 18th century
cartographers liked to include engravings of spheres & globes in their
general atlases, as astronomy & the knowledge of the planets, & the
circles of the earth, had become fashionable & a major part of the
new-found discoveries in the “Age of Enlightenment.” These fine
engravings show a Terrestrial Globe featuring the Indian Ocean &
Southeast Asia, & a Celestial Globe featuring the planets in the form of
animals flying around the Globe above the Earth. The globes are on
finely drawn pedestals and were published in “Atlas General, Civil et
Ecclesiastique ” by Louis Brion De La Tour in 1766. |
$385 |
 S&G127
- A. BELL “Geography.”
London. c. 1797. B/W. 8½X7¼. In the 18th century
as navigators & explorers brought back to England sketches of new
discoveries around the world & as telescopes improved for searching the
night skies, cartographers & globe makers issued atlases & books
containing depictions of terrestrial & celestial globes drawn by master
engravers for the general public to read while seeing the world
unfolding before their eyes. This finely engraved sheet of 3 globes & a
compass is typical of the excellent work done by Andrew Bell, an
engraver in London in c. 1797. |
$275 |
 S&G128
- D. DIDEROT “Physique.”
Paris. 1770-1779. B/W. 8X6. This finely engraved
sheet shows 2 Armillary Spheres, with Terrestrial & Celestial globes on
ornamental stands, drawn in Paris by Fossier & Benard, two of France's
premier draughts men & engravers. The sheet was published in Denis
Diderot's “Encyclopedia” issued between 1770-1779. In the 18th century
interest in Spheres & Globes was paramount as scientific knowledge of
the Earth's Circles, the Tropics, Ecliptic, Equator & Meridians had
become known , & telescopes for searching the night skies had greatly
improved, so the concept of drawing & making Globes & Armillary Spheres
had become extremely popular. This sheet shows the excellence of the
engraving work done in France in the late 1770's. An attractive &
decorative sheet. |
$275 |
 S&G129
- C. COOKE “Spheres & Globes. See System of Geography.”
London. 1789. B/W 14½X8½. The 4 items on this
finely engraved sheet show. 1.) Copernican Armillary Sphere, 2.) Newly
Improved Armillary Sphere, 3.) Terrestrial Globe & 4.) Celestial Globe,
all on ornamental stands. The 1st Armillary Sphere refers to the Sphere
by Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) who was the first Astronomer to
formulate a comprehensive heliocentric cosmology which displaced the
Earth as the Center of the Universe. The 2nd Sphere shows a Newly
Updated Version, & the 3rd & 4th Globes show the Terrestrial & Celestial
Universes as they were known in the late 18th century. The sheet was
engraved by John Lodge, one of London's foremost engravers and published
by C. Cooke on May 15th, 1789. Attractive & decorative. |
$375 |
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Grace Galleries, Inc.
20 West
Cundy's Point
Road
Harpswell,
ME 04079
Phone (207) 729-1329 - Fax (207) 729-0385
E-mail jackie@gracegalleries.com
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