Didier Robert De Vaugondy, A Pair of Louis XV Terrestrial and Celestial Library Globes

Didier Robert De Vaugondy A Pair of Louis XV Terrestrial and Celestial Library Globes Paris, Terrestrial 1773; Celestial c. 1764 Diameter 18 in.; Height 45 in. Provenance: Kugels, Paris; Mr. and Mrs. Stephen C. Hilbert  A pair of Louis XV terrestrial and celestial library globes on green-painted and parcel-gilt stands. Each globe made up of two pairs of hand-colored engraved gores, each with polar calottes. Brass hour circles, the terrestrial mounted on the meridian with its pointer arm, and with the celestial mounted below the meridian without the pointer, brass meridians graduated on one face. Hexagonal horizon bars with original papers, supported by a curved four-legged parcel-gilt original late 18th century stands, cabriole legs joined by arched stretchers, ending in scrolled feet.  A magnificent pair of French library globes by the doyenne of French globe makers. These remarkable 18-inch globes were first offered for sale by Gilles de Vaugondy in 1751 through subscription, then re