A catalog of old globes in Spanish public collections
Abstract
This paper presents the first catalog of celestial and terrestrial globes, as well as armillary spheres and orreries, produced before 1900 and preserved in Spanish public institutions. Most globes have an English or French origin, predominantly from the late 18th or 19th centuries. We highlight a few outstanding examples, including an early metallic terrestrial globe, a mysterious blue celestial manuscript globe, the oldest preserved Spanish printed globe, and some interesting clockwork pieces. While Spain has not been a major producer of globes, it does preserve around 200 historical globes in public collections, including several remarkable pieces.
Fields of Study & Subjects
History and Developments in Astronomy
Historical Geography and Cartography
Diverse Historical and Scientific Studies
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal for the History of Astronomy
- Volume
- 57
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 95–129
- Publication date
- 1 February 2026
- Language
- EN