Globes
21st Century and Contemporary Globes
Steel
1960s Italian Vintage Globes
Wrought Iron
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Globes
Brass
1940s Vintage Globes
Metal
2010s English Globes
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Globes
Glass, Wood
Early 20th Century German Victorian Globes
Paper, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Globes
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Globes
Iron
1920s British Art Deco Vintage Globes
Wood, Paper
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Globes
Metal
Late 20th Century American British Colonial Globes
Brass
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Globes
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Globes
Fruitwood, Paper
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Globes
Metal, Brass
Early 1900s French Antique Globes
Crystal, Bronze
Early 1900s Danish Art Nouveau Antique Globes
Wood
1940s British Vintage Globes
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Provincial Globes
Fiberglass, Oak
Mid-19th Century English Antique Globes
Mahogany
Early 1900s Italian Antique Globes
Crystal, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Globes
Sandstone
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Globes
Sandstone
Late 20th Century Modern Globes
Iron
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Globes
Brass
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Globes
Steel, Iron
20th Century Renaissance Globes
Metal
1930s German Vintage Globes
Marble, Brass
1810s English Antique Globes
Mahogany
Early 20th Century German Aesthetic Movement Globes
Paper
1880s Antique Globes
Paper
1950s Belgian Modern Vintage Globes
Metal
1890s French Belle Époque Antique Globes
Brass
1920s American Industrial Vintage Globes
Iron
1920s Vintage Globes
Paper
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Globes
Metal
20th Century Renaissance Globes
Wood, Paper
1930s Arts and Crafts Vintage Globes
Beech
1950s Belgian Modern Vintage Globes
Metal
Early 19th Century English Antique Globes
Mahogany
19th Century English Victorian Antique Globes
Brass
1960s Vintage Globes
Metal
Mid-20th Century British Globes
Oak
19th Century English Antique Globes
Mahogany, Paper
Mid-20th Century North American Industrial Globes
Steel
1940s French Vintage Globes
Wood, Paper
1810s English Regency Antique Globes
Wood
Late 20th Century European Globes
Metal
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Globes
Iron
2010s Italian Globes
Iron
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Globes
Brass
1960s German Bauhaus Vintage Globes
Glass, Wood
1950s German Bauhaus Vintage Globes
Brass
1770s English George III Antique Globes
Wood
20th Century Unknown Art Deco Globes
Wood, Paper
2010s Italian Globes
Iron
1950s American Vintage Globes
Metal, Steel, Tin
1850s American American Empire Antique Globes
Brass
Antique, New and Vintage Globes
Antique and vintage globes can prove unique and interesting accents to your living space, whether on their own as provocative conversation pieces or part of a small collection dotting the shelves where your sculptures and other decorative objects live.
Globes are among the most ancient of scientific instruments. During the Age of Exploration, they were vital for navigation, bringing sailors home after perilous journeys on different trade routes. Globes didn’t just detail continental formations, they might also show astronomical positions — adventurous seafarers of the day would rely on stars’ positions in traveling the great waters ahead of them. Antique globes offer a glimpse into specific time periods and how peoples of the past navigated the world around them. These were tools that identified a region’s borders, the names of countries, territories and more as the Earth’s geography was once known or imagined. As information about a place became available to geographers over time, globes became more accurate.
Not all globes depict the Earth and its countries, landmasses and bodies of water. The models that do are known as terrestrial globes, while globes that detail the position of the stars and other heavenly bodies are called celestial globes.
Quite surprisingly, the construction of globes remains relatively unchanged from the 16th century. The base starts as two papier-mâché hemispheres, which have a wooden support pillar attached via the north and south poles. The hemispheres are joined with glue or sewn with string and are subsequently topped with more paper or even thin fabric. Lastly, the globe is covered with plaster, ready for the design to be pasted on top.
Perhaps even more surprising is that the decorative function of globes has not changed much since the 16th century. They’ve been given as gifts for hundreds of years, as globes have always been beautiful objects whether they’re in your home office or your living room, lining your mantel alongside other globes of different sizes. Recent globe designs offer modern variations in style and features, such as interior lighting, automatic rotation and more.
Today, vintage trunks and luggage have reappeared as furniture or decorative home accents in a bedroom or foyer. This likely owes to wanderlust, nostalgia and a shared love of good design. Decorating with globes is similarly rooted in the allure of travel and a penchant for the stylish finishing touch that collectibles bring to our homes. Antique globes add welcome doses of color and contrast to a house or apartment’s neutral corners, their sea blues and algae greens popping against reclaimed wood interiors or stone fireplaces.
On 1stDibs, you can find a collection of authentic antique and vintage globes including mid-century modern, Georgian, Art Deco editions and more.