Columbus Werkstudio Illuminated Globe

The Atlantic catches the light, and Africa leans in from the right.

This Columbus Werkstudio illuminated globe comes from Berlin, Germany, dated 1960, on a mahogany stand. Paul Oestergaard began producing globes under the Columbus name in 1909, and illuminated globes became especially popular in homes and offices after the war. The sphere is printed in pale blues, greens and yellows, with oceans and continents labeled in fine script. It is held in a polished metal meridian that pivots on two side pins, and it nests in a deep, curved wooden cradle with a warm brown finish. It is 9 inches wide, 7 deep and 10 high.

The whole world, conveniently reduced to desk size.