Italian Globes

Large Vintage Patinated Bronze Figure of Atlas Holding a Terrestrial Globe. The bronze figure of Atlas is mounted on a tapered Italian tooled leather plinth base. The overall height ...

Italian Renaissance-style small metal desk globe on a pewter base and stand

This Vintage Italian Celestial Globe is a beautiful and unique decorative accessory for home décor. The vintage Italian craftsmanship brings a sense of history and sophistication to ...

1905 terrestrial globe Cast metal stand Excellent condition.  

This 19th-century antique Italian celestial globe on a turned wood floor stand is a captivating decorative statement piece, blending early astronomy charm with a rare historical gravitas and a distinct Grand Tour aesthetic. Dating to the first half of the 1800s, this standing constellation sphere features entirely hand-painted paper gores over a gesso core, supported by a beautifully crafted solid hardwood tripod base. It represents an exceptional acquisition for interior designers and discerning collectors seeking an authentic conversational antique with an understated, historic palazzo character and Wunderkammer appeal.  Aristocratic Provenance & Tuscan Estate Heritage Lineage This exceptional library globe comes with an immaculate heritage, sourced directly from a historic private villa in Tuscany, Italy. It belongs to a prestigious noble family collection that has remained untouched for generations and is now being unveiled to the open market for the very first time. Its fresh-to-the-market status and pristine country-house provenance make it a highly desirable find for connoisseurs looking for authentic, untouched Italian history.  Astrological Artistry & Symbolism The star globe’s surface features hand-applied paper gores over a finely shaped gesso core, entirely hand-painted with tempera natural pigments illustrating the allegorical figures of the classical zodiac alongside other whimsical constellations. The globe acts as a visual map of the ancient night sky, coded according to ancient astrological planet governors including Leo, Scorpio, and Cancer.  A detail of supreme interest for collectors of early scientific instruments is the deliberate, sophisticated use of historical mineral pigments:  Cancer:Rendered in deep blue tones, symbolizing the Water element and its ruling celestial body, the Moon. Scorpio: Clothed in vivid, intense Mars red, honoring its ancient planetary ruler historically associated with fire and cosmic strength. The sphere is housed within a fully articulated iron meridian ring, which allows the globe to be adjusted for inclination and smoothly rotated on its own axis, preserving its full original mechanical functionality. As visible in the photographs, the paper gores display a gorgeous, authentic aged patina with honest signs of time, micro-flaking, and light wear that beautifully underscore its two centuries of history without affecting its structural stability. The sphere rests inside a deep walnut-toned horizon ring, supported by a masterfully turned central pillar and an elegant X-frame stretcher base. This specific format of library globe was highly coveted during the Grand Tour era, serving as both an intellectual tool and a sophisticated emblem of worldly travel for European aristocrats returning from their Italian journeys.  The Divine Perspective: The Mirror-Image Cosmocentric Geometry What elevates this specific sphere from a mere decorative object to an extraordinary artifact of early cosmological philosophy is the deliberate, sophisticated layout of its cartography. To the modern eye, the positioning of the constellations follows a deeply fascinating, counter-intuitive logic: the Taurus appears to the right of Cancer, while Sagittarius sits to the upper left of Capricorn. Far from being an artistic caprice, this layout strictly adheres to the ancient rules of "cosmocentric" cartography. Historically, celestial globes were designed to show the universe from a "divine perspective"—looking down at the heavens from the outside, rather than looking up from the Earth. This creates a brilliant mirror-image effect where the traditional East-West orientation of the night sky is flipped. Furthermore, the sweeping, sinuous body of the Hydra (the water serpent) winding its way toward the lower southern pole accurately mirrors the strict coordinate calculations of 17th and 18th-century star catalogues. This hidden layer of mathematical and philosophical history transforms the globe into an exceptional conversational centerpiece, bridging the gap between artistic imagination and the rigid geometry of Renaissance astronomy. Materials & Craftsmanship The monumental sphere is supported by a refined, masterfully turned tripod base crafted from solid elm wood. Elm was highly prized in traditional Italian cabinetmaking for its exceptional stability, resistance, and beautifully dramatic grain patterns. Originating from the scientific traditions of ancient Greece and elevated by the 17th-century cartographic workshops of Flanders, this 1800s Italian interpretation perfectly embodies the transition from a navigation tool to a symbol of intellectual curiosity and elite interior styling.  Condition Report & Structural Integrity *Overall State: In excellent, stable antique condition. The solid wood tripod stand is robust, structurally sound, and perfectly balanced. *Surface Patina: The hand-painted paper gores show a gorgeous, authentic age-formed patina and fine network of craquelure, displaying honest wear consistent with its 19th-century origin while remaining completely stable, intact, and well-fixed to the gesso base. Interior Design & Placement Concepts Thanks to its imposing silhouette and rich, warm wood tones, this antique floor globe...

Large terrestrial globe (diameter 19,75”), made of paper mache on a wooden structure. The large turned base is made of black lacquered walnut wood. Cartography compiled by engineer E...

An Italian 19th century large globe on wooden stand. This velum covered globe is heavily foxed and has nice age to it which makes only the countries on the lower half of the globe vi...

Pair of celestial and terrestrial table globes, wooden globe covered with engraved and enhanced paper spindles. Bronze mounts with two rings featuring a horizon table engraved with a...

Italian Mid-Century modern painted iron armillary globe with gold Continents supported on a round black base.

Hollywood regency chromed table lamp base Lights Italy, 1970 Metal, plexiglass Lampshade not included Double light. One bulb is inside the base. Lamp base: H 57 cm x 14 × 14 cm ...

Gio Tirotto realizes the project Coexist: the Ground globe and the Sky stellar map, two objects complementary as only Sky and Earth can be, where the transparent glass allows to look...

A pair of Italian ceramic marbleized glazed decorative round globe ball spheres garnitures on pedestal bases, circa late-20th century, Italy. Well made with a beautiful marble patter...

extremely rare early 20th century world map made by Paravia Italia on illustrations by Guido Cora, one of the most important illustrators ever. Made of parchment-coated material, cas...

Globe retro walnut with base structure with solid beech wood feet and with circled structure in African walnut wood. Globe in beige finish with aluminium meridian in brass finish.

The globe with celestial markings and centered between an iron vertical band and a wooden horizontal band, the upper structure raised on a turned standard atop a tripartite base issu...

Vintage - Decoration - Home Decor Geoscope - Ed. Ricoscope - Florence 1981. Measures : 50x50 H:146cm Materials : Globe - Plastic This stunning piece of vintage decor is the perfec...

Globe air sand with structure in solid walnut wood on polished stainless steel base. This globe is made of a polymer and cellulose alloy, antique sand finish, Sphere diameter: 60cm.

Gio Tirotto realizes the project coexist: the Ground globe and the Sky stellar map, two objects complementary as only Sky and Earth can be, where the transparent glass allows to look...

Gio Tirotto realizes the project Coexist: the Ground globe and the Sky stellar map, two objects complementary as only Sky and Earth can be, where the transparent glass allows to look...

Gio Tirotto realizes the project coexist: the mod. Ground globe and the mod. Sky stellar map, two objects complementary as only sky and heart can be, where the transparent glass allo...

Gio Tirotto realizes the project coexist: the mod. Ground globe and the mod. Sky stellar map, two objects complementary as only sky and heart can be, where the transparent glass allo...