National Geographic Globes
The Art, Craftsmanship and Science of the Globe
The National Geographic Society presents an unsurpassed collection,
Globes for the 21st Century, created through a unique partnership of two of the world's most outstanding globe makers, under the direction of National Geographic Maps: Spherical Concepts, Inc, with two decades of experience in developing and manufacturing globes, and Columbus Globes, with nearly 90 years of experience.
When you choose a globe from the National Geographic Society's Globes for the 21st Century collection, you will have the assurance of knowing each conforms to our demanding standards, because each has been created with the artistic beauty, superb craftsmanship, and unerring cartographic data for which National Geographic globes and maps are renowned. Each globe comes complete with a detailed instruction booklet and certificate of authenticity.
State of the Art Craftsmanship
Guaranteed for life. No matter which you choose, you can be assured you will receive a globe of superb craftsmanship, engineered with state-of-the-art technology. Each earth globe ball is expertly printed on a special stretchable material which can never wear off. Additionally, your earth globe is shock resistant and virtually unbreakable. Each National Geographic World Globe features a time dial at the North Pole which allows you to easily determine time throughout the world. To ensure readability, the earth globes are created with the same clear, pleasing typefaces that distinguish all National Geographic maps.
Artline Globes
Dedicated to the creation of world class acrylic globes, highly skilled American artisans hand fashion each Artline Globe for unsurpassed quality. Our state-of-the-art technology allows us to offer a lifetime guarantee of quality and craftsmanship.
Beginning with museum quality cast acrylic sheets; each is cut to size, checked for optical clarity, and prepared for hand application of the graphics. Each sphere design begins with specially developed, hand drawn polar azimuthal projection cartography. Once the cartographer has approved the projection, it is transferred from the original cartography to a photographic film master. This original film work is then transferred into a specialized silk screen image. Each color applied to the sphere requires an individual silk screen. Depending on the sphere to be created, this process can require 8 to 18 separate hand operations. Each world globe is then carefully inspected and passed on to the thermal process.
At this step, each piece must be heat soaked for several hours at high temperatures. Then, with the skilled eye of a highly trained craftsperson, each piece is fitted into a blowing tool which uses only air pressure to create the hemisphere. To assure optical clarity, the hemispheres are free-blown, similar to glass-blowing techniques. Literally, each sphere is slightly different from any other. The hemispheres are then passed to the hands of the trimmer.
Here the two hemispheres are trimmed of any excess material, then carefully matched to create a complete sphere. Next, the spheres are thoroughly cleaned and polished to remove any residue from the manufacturing process.
Then, the highly skilled globe maker makes a final fitting and bonds the two hemispheres, making a complete world globe. The globe maker then signs and dates a Certificate of Authenticity, personally certifying the quality and appearance of each sphere. Finally, the product is individually packed and prepared for shipment.
Each Artline Globe reflects a standard of excellence not achievable with
today's mass production techniques. From the multi-colored silk screening to the meticulous blowing, shaping and finishing, each sphere is proudly passed from the hands of our crafts people to yours.
