A collapsable globe

BETTS, John.

Betts's Portable Terrestrial Globe Compiled from the Latest and Best Authorities. British Empire coloured red.
London, George Philip & Son Ltd, & Liverpool, Philip Son & Nephew, c.1925. Printed waxed cotton globe with 'umbrella ' mechanism, metal spindle and hanging ring. Globe circumference 1,260mm extended, 770mm long including spindle. With the original cardboard tube with printed cover.

Some faint staining.

An unusual collapsible globe, made spherical by pushing a metal tube upwards along the spindle, It shows the British Empire covering approximately a sixth of the Earth's total land area, with a population of 450 million people.
The globe's mechanism was invented by John Betts in 1860; this example is a later issue by G. Philip & Sons who manufactured them after Bett's death c. 1863 to c. 1925. We have estimated the date of this example by the description of St Petersburg as 'Petrograd (Leningrad)' (renamed by the Soviets in 1924), and the separation of Transjordan from Palestine (1922) but before full independence from the British (1928).
Undoubtedly the reason for the superb condition of this globe is the original cardboard tube.


Stock ID : 16071