How do I date an old globe?

Dating a terrestrial globe relies upon examining the geographical boundaries, country names and shipping routes printed on the gores. Cartographers often updated political borders, allowing a close estimate of the year of manufacture. Makers' signatures printed near the cartouche also provide a specific working period for the firm that produced the globe.

Were bookends common in historical libraries?

Heavy bookends emerged primarily in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as libraries transitioned from closed built-in shelving to open desk arrangements. Earlier collections relied on shelves fitted with book rails or books stacked flat. Carved wooden and metal figures became popular accessories to keep smaller selections upright on desks and side tables.

What is a wheel barometer?

A wheel barometer uses a traditional siphon tube containing mercury connected to a mechanical pulley and pointer. Changes in atmospheric pressure cause the mercury to move, turning the needle around a visible dial. These instruments were housed in decorative wooden cases, frequently made of mahogany or walnut with bone or brass indicator dials.

How are complete book sets catalogued?

Book sets are recorded by author, title, publication date and total number of volumes comprising the edition. Uniform bindings indicate whether the set was published together or rebound later as a matching series. Descriptions note the material of the binding, such as leather or cloth, and any publisher stamps on the spine or endpapers.

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Antique Library Decor

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Antique library decor brings together nineteenth-century leather-bound volumes, carved bookends and terrestrial globes to give a study gravity and a settled feel.