50. Christian IVs terrestrial globe. Willem Janszoon Blaeu. 1645-48.

The terrestrial globe is dedicated to the Danish king Christian IV. It is designed by one of the greatest cartographers of the time, the Dutchman Willem Janszoon Blaeu and made after his death by the Blaeu workshop Officina Blaviana during the period 1645-1648. As Christian IV died in 1648 it is not certain whether he managed to see the completed globe, but it has been in the possession of the Danish kings since the mid-1600s.

The globe has a diameter of 68 cm. The ball itself is of papier mâché and plastered chalk. The frame is made of wood, meridian ring, time ring and time hand are of brass, the horizontal ring of wood with engravings pasted on. On the ball itself globe segments have been pasted on as pointed oval pieces of paper. On this can be seen the picture of the world with Latin text engraved in copper and thereafter decorated by hand.