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1950 - Räths Physikalischer Erdglobus ; 1:38 600 000

Map maker	Size	Map ID	Condition
Paul Räth	340 x 520 mm	D15 / M317 / I283	Very good condition. Minimal signs of wear. Foxing and a few very small points of damage on the paper.

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Rath's firm was located in Leipzig, Germany, a city known for its publishing houses. Rath established the firm in 1917 and from 1921 also produced electric illuminated globes. His globes from a German perspective went through a number of national changes including the loss of Germany’s colonies in the Pacific and West Africa after the First World War, the expansion of Germany under the Nazi's, and the division of the country under the Soviets. Leipzig also became part of Eastern Germany after 1949 and so some later globes can be expected to have typical Soviet preferences in their display of information.

This globe produced and dated Sept. 1950 displays the world’s physical appearance and does not mark the political boundaries of countries though many cities and countries are named. Therefore the globe would not show the recent changes to Germany at the time and the German Democratic Republic of East Germany (1949-1990) new political boundaries. The depths of the seas and topographic heights of land are shown including also the ocean currents.

Rath's illuminated electric globes are beautiful in their appearance and were especially helpful in the dim room lighting conditions typical of the period prior to the 1960s. This globe is made up of 12 lithographic gores pasted onto a glass globe. The electric wiring comes through the base of the globe to a regular bulb, which can be relatively easily accessed. A hand made chrome meridian pivots the glass globe over a turned wooden base. There is also a small switch to turn the globe on and off.

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