Rare pair of 17th century miniature terrestrial and celestial globes

Two globes forming a pair. One representing the celestial and the other the terrestrial.

A rare pair of miniature globes composed of a celestial and a terrestrial globe, made during the 17th century.

Pairs preserved in this unusual original format are uncommon. Globes are generally larger, even when they are desktop globes, as is the case here, intended for study or public presentation. These reduced dimensions (approximately 15 cm in height and approximately 20 cm in diameter) make them an unusual and highly sought-after feature.

Each sphere is mounted on a finely crafted bronze tripod stand, typical of scientific productions of the period.
The legs are joined by a triangular brace with concave angles and terminate in spherical feet.

The meridian and equatorial circles, presented in wooden rings, are finely veneered with paper and carefully painted with graduations and months.
The calendar sphere is surrounded by a bronze ingot mold on the outside and a wide bronze ring on the inside. The globes are covered with antique printed paper, now slightly patinated, with beautiful period lines still visible.

The terrestrial globe presents a cartography characteristic of late 17th-century geographical knowledge, with Latin toponymy and a rough representation of the continents.
The celestial globe illustrates the constellations according to the astronomical iconography of the time, personifying the constellations with mythological representations, in the tradition of didactic globes intended for the offices of scholars or learned nobles.

This pair of late 17th-century globes, in a rare compact format, constitutes a prestigious object far beyond mere decoration. Through its quality, its complementarity (terrestrial and celestial) and its artisanal finesse, it embodies the perfect balance between scientific erudition and aesthetic refinement, two of the most important factors of the 17th century.
By displaying, in a delicate format, a whole universe of ancient cartographic knowledge and resting on a beautiful bronze tripod base, this work bears witness to the scientific culture and careful aesthetics of the Louis XIII-Louis XIV period.

This type of object, intended for cabinets of curiosities or for the scholarly study of scholars, is particularly sought after today for its historical and decorative interest. The combination of the two globes in the same state of preservation considerably reinforces the rarity of this piece. It is a beautifully elegant collector's item.

A pair of small 17th-century miniature desk globes with a brass base is now preserved in the collections of the Louvre Museum, under the reference OA 10683 A.

Restoration due to use and maintenance.
Tripod legs with their beautiful original patina.

Late 17th-century European work