Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Saw a very interesting video of how globes were made back in 1955 (you know, back when globes were a thing :-D)

I often watch videos with the sound off, but this is a good one to watch with the sound.  Some facts from the video:

  • 60,000 globes were made each year at this specific London firm.
  • First the wooden balls were covered with a type of paper and then 9 coats of plaster, to a thickness of 1/8″.
  • Then the countries are applied – one strip at a time.  You have to be careful here though, since being off by even a small fraction of an inch would cause the map to be miles out of alignment!  After that, the seams between each strip of paper is painted
  • Total time to handmake the globe (in 1955) was about 15 hours.

Another globe making video

And then there’s this video, that looks to be from perhaps the 1980s or so, with another look at globe making.

With online maps so prevalent, I can’t remember the last time I actually used a globe.  Of course, I still like to keep track of the places I use, which is why I use this magnetic world travel map with pins.


This site is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as thepointsguy.com. This may impact how and where links appear on this site. Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers and that compensation may impact on how and where card products appear on the site. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by my advertising partners and I do not include all card companies, or all available card offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers and other offers and benefits listed on this page. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Other links on this page may also pay me a commission - as always, thanks for your support if you use them

User Generated Content Disclosure: Points With a Crew encourages constructive discussions, comments, and questions. Responses are not provided by or commissioned by any bank advertisers. These responses have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the responsibility of the bank advertiser to respond to comments.

BoardingArea