An “invaluable” globe from the 16th century could be the oldest to be auctioned

(CNN) – A 16th century globe representing the world before Australia was “discovered” may be the oldest in be auctioned.

The priceless artifact, featuring sea monsters, ships and a representation of Triton, the Greek god of the sea, was auctioned by the British company Hansons Auctioneers.

The globe, which measures almost 9 centimeters in diameter, is believed to be nearly 500 years old and had once belonged to a member of the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) section, a unit of the Allies nicknamed “Monuments Men” who protected cultural treasures during WWII.

Jim Spencer, Hansons Library Auction Director, was “stunned” when a member of the public brought the globe to the company’s Staffordshire sales room, Bishton Hall on Wolseley Bridge, for a free appraisal.

According to Spencer, the seller “was not sure that the balloon was something of great importance.”

But research by Hansons revealed that it dates to around 1550-1560, making it one of the earliest globes in existence, and potentially the oldest ever to come up for auction. The guide price is set between 20,000 and 30,000 pounds ($ 26,443 to $ 39,650), but Spencer said it would likely sell above that.

Spencer explained to CNN that the globe is made up of 12 engraved triangular pieces called segments.

Spencer describes it as: “The segments are like the segments of an orange. They were produced as an engraving or woodcut and printed on paper. They were then glued onto a sphere, usually made of wood, to create the globe. It is more common to see an engraved brass or silver globe from this era, although they are still incredibly rare. “

“I think a paper-cut globe like ours from this era is unheard of. A sheet of slices alone is very rare and valuable, perhaps £ 10,000 to £ 20,000, but actually seeing them on a globe, with the furniture, the wooden hairpin, etc., it’s really extraordinary. “

Spencer contacted experts from around the world to find out more about where it came from.

“Most of the museums said they couldn’t help because they had nothing like it in their collections, but one put me on the trail of French cartographer Francois Demongenet, who was active in 1550-60,” he said in a Article on the Hansons website.

One specialist said that 16th century globes are almost impossible to find.

“Our balloon looks like it could be the oldest ever offered at auction.”

The globe originally belonged to the collection of Major Edward Croft-Murray, former curator of prints and drawings at the British Museum, before being acquired by the seller.

“I suppose we will never know how Commander Croft-Murray acquired the balloon, but we do know that it was one of the ‘Monuments Men’ who rescued all kinds of treasures during the war,” Spencer said.

According to Monuments Men Foundation, Croft-Murray was assigned as an adviser to the MFAA in Italy in 1943.

However, it is not known how the globe came to him, Spencer told CNN.

“I guess we’ll never know how he got it. Arguably the kind of important object that could have been discovered during the chaos of war.”

According to Spencer, the oldest globe in the world is the Erdapfel dating from 1492, followed by the Ostrich Egg Globe from 1504 which was sold at the London Map Fair in 2012. He said: “The age of our globe It ranks it firmly among the rarest around. It is older than other globes found in many major museums, such as the British Library and the British Museum. “

Its rarity makes it impossible to predict how much it will sell for.

“To me, it seems priceless,” Spencer said. “I do not think it is possible to say what its monetary value is because I have nothing to compare it to, but I am guided by 20,000-30,000 pounds and I feel that it will surely reach or exceed that figure.”

He added: “People had to wear ruffles and flys when they first handled this balloon in Elizabethan England. No European had sighted, much less stepped on Australia.”

Exploration flourished in the 16th century thanks to navigation skills. Japan appears on the globe as “Sipannge”, North America is marked as “Devicta ann 1530” and South America as “Nova Terra Inventa anno 1492” and “Canibales Tropophagi”.

“It’s amazing to think of all the historical events that this delicate little globe has survived,” Spencer said, noting that it was manufactured a century before the Great Fire of London of 1666 and that it has been through two world wars. “It looks like a museum piece to me.”