Globe making

The earliest English globes were made by Emery Molyneux a scientific instrument maker. The earliest surviving example is at Petworth House and dates from 1592. There is another fine pair of his globes at Middle Temple which date from 1603.

There are several types of globe: terrestrial globes (showing the Earth), celestial globes (showing the skies), lunar globes (showing the moon), and planetary globes.

The traditional method of globe construction involved making a papier maché sphere and then covering it in plaster. Today, some globe makers outsource the spheres and have them made in resin/fibreglass or plastic whilst others retain the artisanal hand skills of making in plaster and papier maché.

There are a number of key skills involved including:

• Cartography / map-making – creating the map that accurately can be applied to a sphere.
• Construction of the sphere
• Cutting of the gores (the almond shaped pieces of the map that are applied to a sphere)
• Hand tinting of map gores – gores are often printed in black and white and then hand coloured with a fine paint brush and water colour.
• Wetting and stretching the gores across the sphere without ripping, tearing, bubbling, overlapping, or leaving gaps between gores.
• Construction of bases / stands for both Desktop and Floor Standing Globes

Some globe makers will also undertake the restoration of antique globes. A maker trained in the traditional construction methods will have the experience and expertise to mend and restore old globes.

• Wood turning (stands)
• Ball making (using traditional plaster and paper mache)
• Hand tinting and painting
• Map making
• Restoration
• Engraving
• Engineering

• Market issues: 20 years ago Globe making was incredibly endangered. Now it is a rare, niche craft but this has possibly always been the case at the higher end of the market.
• Public awareness: Globe making is becoming increasingly recognised across the world, much of which is driven by social media

There are no formal training routes for the craft of globe making.

Bellerby & Co offer on the job training and currently have two junior members of staff who are learning the skills.

• Greaves & Thomas, Ryde, Isle of Wight
• Lander & May, Cowes, Isle of Wight
• Peter Bellerby, Bellerby & Co Globemakers, London – employs 30 people making all aspects of globes
• Loraine Rutt, The Little Globe Co, London (porcelain globes, so uses very different skills to traditional globe making)

• Lovett, Patricia, (2014) The Art and History of Globes
• Sumira, Sylvia, (2014) The Art and History of Globes
• British Pathe (1955) Globe Making
• Peter Bellerby, The Globemakers: The Curious Story of an Ancient Craft (Bloomsbury Publishing) (2023)

Our thanks go to our 2025 reviewers:

We consult with a wide range of practitioners and organisations to review and update the Red List. Some choose to remain anonymous but all feedback is taken into account.

• Lander & May Ltd, Globe makers
• Peter Bellerby, Bellerby & Co Globemakers

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