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Very Rare and Important Set of Sixteenth Century Globe Gores – The Primary Model for Many Globes Engraved in Silver and Gilt-Brass in the Sixteenth Century

Nice example of the final state of Francois Demongenet's second set of terrestrial globe gores, one of the most influential sets of gores of the sixteenth century. They served as the primary model for globes engraved by gold and silversmiths in the sixteenth century, although a surviving set of gores is very rare. 

Presented in a set of twelve gores, the geographical content for Demongenet's first set of woodcut gores dated 1552 seem to be based upon the world maps of Gerard Mercator (1538 and 1541). The second set of gores from ca. 1560, of which this is an example, is improved with additional place names and was engraved on copper. The second set seem to have been more influenced by the work of Gemma Frisius, particularly his terrestrial globe of 1536.

If constructed, these gores would form a globe roughly 3.5 inches in diameter. The sea is stippled and includes several ships and intimidating sea monsters. To the south is a giant Terra Australis, with a bulge located roughly where Australia would be found by Europeans in the seventeenth century. One of two small cartouches bears a dedication to Claude de la Baume, Archbishop of Besancon, the highest-ranking religious official near Vesoul, where Demongenet lived. The second cartouche features Demongenet's own name.

The Demongenet Tradition

Elly Dekker identifies a “Demongenet Tradition” within sixteenth century globe making. In addition to globes made of paper and pasted around spheres, some globes were engraved in metal. These were called manuscript globes and were intended more as luxurious decorations than as geographical aids. Most of the manuscript globes were made by men outside the map trade and followed the geography provided by masters, usually Mercator.

The Demongenet gores, or at least his second set of gores dating from ca. 1560, influenced an entire tradition of manuscript globes. They seem to have gained their geographic information from Gemma Frisius’ 1536 globe, as previously mentioned. Evidence for this includes the phrase Devicta anno 1530 in North America; the phrase reads “Hispania Maior a Nuñno Gusmano devicta anno 1530” on the Frisius globe. Additionally, the particular location and spelling of Japan (derivates of Sipango) originated from Frisius, along with unusual terminology for the tropics.

The avenue by which they reached Demongenet seems to have been Georg Hartmann’s 1547 terrestrial globe gores, which also include the Frisius information and the strange islands near Java of Griforum insulae, or Gryforum insulae as it is included on the Demongenet gores. Demongenet’s gores went on to influence other terrestrial globemakers, including Georg Roll and Johann Reinhold, as well as Nicolas Spirinx.

It is Demongenet’s accompanying celestial gores which cemented his influence with fellow globe makers. Demongenet chose to include only one of the two constellations introduced by Caspar Vopel in 1536; Antinous is on the globe, Coma Berenices is not. A male figure, usually called Acarnar, is positioned at the end of Eridanus. Boötes is shown with his hounds, while a magnitude table is placed near Ursa Major. The sources for these features vary but include Peter Apian (hounds, magnitude table) and Frisius (magnitude table). The male figure at the end of Eridanus and the inclusion of Antinous are largely original choices by Demongenet.

These choices would be copied throughout the sixteenth century. In particular, Acarnar would be depicted as male instead of female as previously shown on celestial globes, including on the 1552 Demongenet gores. The hounds and the magnitude table were already on the 1552 gores. Demongenet’s influential celestial gores would be copied and inspired other globemakers until the mid-seventeenth century in France, Italy, and Germany.    

The Demongenet gores

The history of this Demongenet pair is somewhat of a mystery. The globe design was obviously very popular in its time, serving as a model for numerous other globe makers. However, few globes or gores survive. At least four different copperplates were created of the terrestrial globe gores, two of which are known in two states. 

According to Rodney Shirley, there were five sets total of the Demongenet globes, each most likely prepared from a fresh plate of copper.

• Plate 1: The plate contains no signature; the left-hand cartouche is blank and there is no right-hand cartouche. Japan is spelled as Sipannge.
• Plate 2: Demongenet has added his signature, ending in “V”. The right-hand cartouche is still blank, while Japan is spelled Suango.
• Plate 3: The signature ends with “E V”; right-hand cartouche now carries the typical dedication to the Archbishop of Basancon. Japan is now Sipangi.
• Plate 4: The signature ends in “V” again. The right-hand cartouche bears the dedication and Japan is now Sipange. This plate also includes more numerous and more elaborate ships.
• Plate 5: The signature still concludes “V”, and the right-hand cartouche still carries the dedication. Japan is now Sipaugo. Demongenet’s name was originally on the lower margin, but here it is scratched out, with portions still visible.

In his yet to be released book on maps published in Italy in the sixteenth century, Stefano Bifolco makes the following additional comments and observations:

• Shirley #1 above (Sipaange) is crudely engraved and most likely done in the late sixteenth century. Bifolco locates only one known example at the Württembergische Landesbibliothek.
• Shirley #5 above (Sipaugo) is known in two states. Bifolco references the spelling as “Sipango". He notes that the edition signed by Duchetti is a second state, noting that beneath the signature of Duchetti is evidence of a prior owner's imprint. Bifolco locates no surviving example of the first state and two examples of the second state (Rotterdam Maritime Museum and Württembergische Landesbibliothek).

Rarity

All examples of Demongenet's gores are rare.  Our map is an example of the second Duchetti state noted above (plate 5), which was previously known to survive in only two examples. We note only a single example of the gores in a dealer catalogue in the past thirty years. In Arkway Catalog 67 (2005), entry #15, this same set of gores is described and priced at $46,000 (almost certainly the same set, as the description is identical and also notes a matching set of small wormholes in the celestial gores). These gores are therefore extremely rare and influential within the history of cartography.