Catalog Archive
Auction 142, Lot 67

"12 Inch Terrestrial Globe", Cram, George F. & Company

Subject: Globes

Period: 1930 (circa)

Publication:

Color: Printed Color

Size:
12 x 36 inches
30.5 x 91.4 cm
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George Franklin Cram was a civil war veteran who marched with Sherman prior to his career as a map publisher. In 1867, George F. Cram and his uncle, Rufus Blanchard, founded the company Blanchard & Cram in Evanston, IL. The company manufactured and sold maps and atlases. Cram became the sole owner two years later and renamed it the George F. Cram Company. They sold a wide variety of atlases including the popular Unrivaled Atlas of the World which was printed continuously from the 1880s to 1952. In 1921, George Cram sold his business to one of his largest customers, E.A. Peterson of the National Map Company. The company is to this day producing quality maps and globes.

Very attractive and interesting globe on a full ring cast meridian cradle mounted to a walnut four leg floor stand. The stand is 24" and with globe measures 36" in total height. With twenty-four lithograph paper gores, the geography indicates the globe was produced circa 1930. Peking is identified as Peiping, which is the name adopted in 1928 when the seat of government moved to Nanking. Iran is shown as Persia indicating a date before 1935. Korea is shown as Chosen. The Sargasso Sea is prominently displayed in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and an analemma is located in the South Pacific. The simple, oval title cartouche is located in the Indian Ocean west of Australia with the International Date Line shown in red. Complete with hour ring at the north pole.

References:

Condition: B

There are a number of small cracks and chips along the equatorial line, resulting in some small loss. Gores are scratched and abraded in several areas and the color has faded. Meridian and hour ring are excellent and the floor stand shows only a few minor scratches near the feet.

Estimate: $500 - $650

Sold for: $700

Closed on 11/28/2012

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