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One of the World’s Only Globe-Making Studios Celebrates the Ancient Art of Handcrafted Globes
One of the World’s Only Globe-Making Studios Celebrates the Ancient Art of Handcrafted Globes
A globe is the only “true” representation of the world that doesn't
distort the shape or the size of the earth's features. Terrestrial
(showing a map of the world) and celestial (showing the apparent
positions of the stars in the sky) globes are known to have been made
since the mid-2nd century B.C., but the earliest surviving terrestrial
globe was made in 1492 by Martin Behaim, a German mapmaker, navigator,
and merchant. Globe making developed rapidly during the Renaissance as a
result of technological developments like the mechanical printing
press, as well as the increasing availability of Latin translations of
Ptolemy's treatise Geographica. By the end of the 15th century,
globe making had become a well-established craft in Europe, further
motivating voyagers such as Christopher Columbus to go forth and explore
new lands.
In the modern age, with the advent of GPS in addition to the
abundance of mass-produced globes and maps, the art of globe making has
fallen by the wayside. Only two workshops in the world still make
handcrafted globes; one of them is Bellerby & Co. Globemakers,
a studio based in Stoke Newington, London. Founded by Peter Bellerby in
2008, the artisan shop was born when Bellerby struggled to find a
quality globe for his father's 80th birthday present. Faced with a
choice between a cheaply made modern globe or a fragile, expensive
antique model, Bellerby decided to spend a few months and a few thousand
pounds making his own, instead. The process turned out to be more
complicated, costly, and time-intensive than he thought, eventually
leading to the creation of his own globe-making studio.
Now, Bellerby and a small team of dedicated
globemakers construct high-quality, handmade, artisan globes that are as
much works of art as they are scientific instruments. From the stand,
to the painting, to the mapmaking, each piece is expertly crafted
in-house using traditional and modern globe-making techniques. Globe
making is a difficult art to learn, with the act of applying the strips
of map to the sphere (known as “goring”) alone usually taking a year to
master, but the stunning results speak for themselves. In a day and age
when digital reigns supreme and cheap products fall apart quickly,
Bellerby & Co.'s classically beautiful, handcrafted globes are a
testament to the wonderful quality and aesthetic of goods made by true
artisans.
Bellerby & Co. has gained international acclaim for its globes,
which range in size from mini 23-cm desk versions to massive 127-cm
spheres. The globes have been used for BBC productions, in Hollywood
films like Martin Scorsese's Hugo, and by artists in
installations. Other customers have commissioned customized globes that
highlight their favorite places, fanciful illustrations, or the
locations they wish to visit someday. Timeless in appearance and built
to last over a century, Bellerby & Co.'s globes memorialize the
ancient art of globe making while looking forward to a future of
possibilities in craftsmanship, science, and art.
