To celebrate a milestone 50th birthday in the family, this personalized globe was ordered from Bellerby & Co. Globe makers in London. It is widely recognized as one of the only companies in the world producing luxury high-end , hand-painted globes using traditional techniques.
Each globe is a significant investment and is often considered a work of art rather than just a geographical tool.
After waiting several months for it to be created and be shipped, my daughterinlaw traveled to the FedEx hub and picked it up personally, rather than have it bounce around in a delivery truck and risk it being deliver to a wrong address, as often happens in the city.
The company has a famous "accidental" founding story. In 2008, the founder, Peter Bellerby, was searching for a high-quality globe to give to his father for his 80th birthday. He found only two options: cheap, mass-produced plastic models or incredibly fragile, expensive antiques.
He decided to try making one himself, famously underestimating the difficulty. What he thought would take a few months and a few thousand pounds turned into a two-year obsession that cost him nearly £200,000 and his life savings. He had to teach himself the complex math of "fighting Pi" (the geometry of a sphere), learn cartography, and master the art of manipulating wet paper gores.
This journey eventually led to the birth of the company employing a team of about 20–25 specialists.
Cartographers: Who ensure the maps are accurate and incorporate bespoke details (like family history or travel routes).
Painters: Who apply multiple layers of watercolor to create the depth and texture seen in the oceans and landmasses.
Makers: Apprentices who undergo at least a year of rigorous training just to learn how to apply the paper segments (gores) to the sphere without tearing them.
Wood & Metal Workers: Who hand-turn the bases
Unlike antique globes made of plaster or paper, Bellerby uses modern resin spheres and durable materials so the globes can be spun and used daily without degrading, intended to last for generations.
These globes are incredibly delicate, so they are shipped in high-density foam to prevent the hand-painted paper (called "gores") from being damaged.
Almost every globe they make is a unique commission. Clients often request personalized handpainted illustrations like this lifelong favorite football team illustration for the Green Bay Packers.
The video demonstrates how smooth the handcrafted base allows the globe to spin.
The globe is a focal point in the newly remodeled room!
