19th Century Newton Globes on Mahogany Stands

• Newton & Son - The firm Newton & Son began its history in 1780, when founder John Newton published a reissue of a Nathauriel Hill pocket globe.
  
  The firm grew rapidly after Newton's second son William joined forces with his father, and by 1831 Milred Berry became a partner.
  
  By 1841, ownership passed to William's eldest son, William Edward. Such was the success of the firm that it continued in operation by subsequent generations until the early part of the twentieth century.
• Mahogany - Mahogany is a dense, close grained red-coloured timber from the West Indies and Central America. It was first imported into Europe in the the early 18th century and its use continued through the 19th century. It was popular for furniture making because of its strength, the wide boards available, the distinctive grain on some boards, termed flame mahogany and the rich warm colour of the timber when it was polished.. The "flame" was produced where a limb grew out from the trunk of the tree, and this timber was usually sliced into veneers for feature panels on doors, backs and cornices.
  
  Some terms used to describe mahogany relate to the country from which it originally came, such as "Cuban" mahogany, "Honduras" mahogany etc. However unless the wood has been tested the names assigned are more a selling feature, rather than a true indication of the timber's origin.

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• globes - terrestrial & celestial 165