Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Volume 2: Their History and Construction Including a Consideration of their Value as Aids in the Study of Geography and AstronomyStevenson, Edward Luther
History
Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Volume 2: Their History and Construction Including a Consideration of their Value as Aids in the Study of Geography and Astronomy
Stevenson, Edward Luther
Geography -- History; Globes
A pair of Akerman’s globes may also be found in the Geographisches
Institut of Göttingen, the terrestrial dated 1759, and the celestial
dated 1760 and dedicated to the President of the Academy of Sciences by
the Geographical Society of Upsala. His globes, it appears, were
reissued by Frederick Akrel,[169] an engraver who had assisted him in
his work. The reissue of the Akerman globes dated 1779 contained
corrections and additions which brought them to date, a fact which is
noted in the following legend: “Globus terraqueus cura Societatis
cosmographicae Upsalensis, editus ab Andr. Akerman Nunc emendatus....
opera Frederici Akrel 1779.” “Terrestrial globe issued under the
auspices of the Cosmographical Society of Upsala, edited by Andrea
Akerman, now corrected.... the work of Frederick Akrel 1779.”
[Illustration: Fig. 128. Terrestrial Globe of Pietro Rosini, 1762.]
The Biblioteca Universitario of Bologna possesses a very interesting
manuscript terrestrial globe (Fig. 128), the work of P. D. Pietro
Rosini, an Olivetan monk. Word from the librarian with photograph
kindly sent[170] gives us the information that this splendid globe was
constructed in the year 1762, that it is a fine example of the period
and is in an excellent state of preservation. It has a diameter of about
150 cm., being one of the largest constructed in Italy. The sphere is
constructed of wooden plates securely braced. It has a meridian circle
of heavy brass, a horizon circle of wood, having on its upper surface
the usual representations referring to the constellations of the zodiac,
the names of the months, and the principal directions. The circle on its
inner edge is fashioned to receive the sphere, but it has an outer edge
which is octagonal. Over the surface of the ball irregular pieces of
paper were pasted and on this the geographical map was drawn by hand.
Practically all geographical names are in the Italian language, as are
the few geographical legends. The author and date legend in Latin reads,
“D. Petrus Rosini de Lendinara Monᵘˢ Olivᵘˢ fecit ann: 1762.” “D.
Petrus Rosini of Lendinara, an Olivetan monk made this in the year
1762.” Fiorini cites a reference to a letter written by Rosini wherein
he is referred to as a professor, noting that other information
concerning him seems to be unobtainable. From the fact of his having
constructed a terrestrial globe and of his reference in his letter to an
eruption of Mount Vesuvius, one would obtain the impression that he was
a lover of scientific studies, and especially of geography.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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