This is an unusual and noteworthy table globe from the British company Philips. It marks the resumption of production for the retail market post-war, but with the expedient use of pre-war maps: the borders are circa 1936 as Persia is now named Iran (1935) but Italian Somaliland has not yet been incorporated into Italian East Africa (1936). The fact that is is dated below the cartouche is in itself a rare feature as globes were not routinely dated until the mid-1950s.
The globe is constructed from a pasteboard sphere with 12 hand-applied paper gores and polar calottes. It is mounted on a turned wooden base with an ebonised finish, a chromed half meridian with turned wooden polar bearings and chromed finials. This type of mount is also more characteristic of ealier globes so it may well have been assembled from pre-war stock.
The state of preservation is exceptional. The varnish is bright and the globe retains the full subtle colouring of the physical mapping with minimal marking. There is one small scuff to the right of the cartouche (see last photograph) but other than this it is undamaged. The finish to the base has developed a distinctive craquelure but is fully intact.
The map has been carefully cleaned but otherwise left completely original. The chromed parts have been cleaned and polished. The base has been cleaned, treated with a restorative solution and wax polished. The globe turns smoothly on its axis and is in exceptional overall condition.