56. Terrestrial globe by G. and L. Valk
Amsterdam, 1715
Gerhard Valk (1652-1726)
Leonard Valk (1675-1746)
wood and papier-mâché covered with printed paper
stand of two gilded putti
diameter 45 cm
[Inv. MdS-97]

The globe’s stand consists of two gilded putti supporting the horizon, attributed to the sculptor Silvestro Giannotti (1680-1750) who, according to Luigi Crespi (op. cit.), is also the author of the fastigium over the large bookcase of the Geographical and Nautical Room, today kept in the Rector’s offices of the University. The compass attached to the stand is missing.
The title of the sphere is as follows:

Universi Orbis Terrarum facies
cum industria ac fide secundum certissimas et novissimas
Praestantissimorum Geographorum Observationes
denuo luci exposita cuique praeterea
Longitudinis ed Latitudinis gradus
Secundum Uranographiam novam,
ac proinde ex rei veritate, sunt iscripti per
Gerhardum et Leonhardum Valk,
Amstelaedami 1715.
cum Privilegio

There is also the following dedication:

Viro amplissima dignitate ac meritorum
splendore conspicuo JOHANNI TRIP.
J.U.D. Reipublicae Amstelaedamensis
Consuli gravissimo, Societatis Indiae
orientalis Moderatori integerrimo,
Toparchae in Berchenroden justissimo etc.
hanc universi ORBIS TERRARUM
faciem ea qua par est reverentia
D.D.D. Gerhardus et Leonhardus Valk.

The Johann Trip the two globes were dedicated to was Burgomaster of Amsterdam in 1707; according to Matteo Fiorini (op. cit.) this suggests the first edition of these globes dates back to 1707.
The sphere is divided into 18 gores, 20° longitude wide, intersected by the equatorial line to make up 36 sectors. Following the example of Mercator and other Flemish and Dutch stereographers it has compass cards of 32 winds with corresponding loxodromic lines.
The globe was carefully restored at the Forlì laboratory of N. Scianna in 1991 - where a radiography of the inside of the globe was also done with the help of Engineer Andrea Cervellati of ENEA - revealing previous restoration work, even of the color. The putti, on the other hand, were restored by M.G. Gattari from the local Soprintendenza per i Beni Artistici e Storici.

L. Crespi (1769).
F. Farinelli (1979), p. 183.
M. Fiorini (1899), p. 388.