Adams 12-Inch Celestial Globe (1798)

Description: The terrestrial globe in full bronze meridian, the horizon band with engraved paper calendar and zodiac, raised on a mahogany stand with three turned legs joined by stretcher. Constellations delineated and colored.

George Adams Senior (1704-72), the patriarch of the Adams family of globe makers, wrote numerous treatises on globes and scientific instruments including A Treatise Describing and Explaining the Construction and Use of New Celestial and Terrestrial Globes, published in London in 1766. He is thought to have succeeded to the globe gores of John Senex and James Ferguson, the pioneers of 18th Century British globe making. George's sons, George Adams, Jr. (1750-95) and Dudley (1762-1830), carried forth the family business as instrument and globe makers in London. The Adams firm produced terrestrial and celestial floor and table globes, as well as Senex/Ferguson pocket globes. Dudley Adams continued the business until 1817, when bankruptcy forced him to sell the pocket globe plates to the Lane firm, which reissued them in updated editions. British globe maker John Addison reissued a Dudley Adams celestial globe, circa 1818.

London: c. 1798