Why buy a Globe ? -
go HERE
to see our great selection of Globes
 International
events (social, economic, military,
weather-related, etc.) cause a surge in the
demand for up-to-date and accurate cartographic
data. Globes are high on the list of products
people turn to for information (a map of
Afghanistan may be interesting, but what people
really want to know is how close is Afghanistan
to my home, my relatives, etc. - a globe is the
best source for that information).
The world seems to be getting smaller - CNN and
other networks like them bring the rest of the
world into our living rooms 24/7. The economy is
truly global - globes are office tools as well
as decorative accessories. Geography education
is on the increase as a result of increased
awareness. Before television and other
electronic media, every educated home had a
globe. That practice is once again on the rise.
If our children are going to compete in the
modern economy they need to understand
geo-political relationships.
So many conflicts in the world today have their
historical basis connected to geography - border
conflicts, holy lands, etc. Without an
understanding of geography it is difficult to
understand history, and therefore difficult to
understand today's current events.
Astronomy Products - There is no other company
producing high quality astronomy globes. There
are several inexpensive star finders available
in the market, but they do not have the
decorative, aesthetic appeal combined with
accurate science. All of our astronomy products
are perfect accessories for someone who uses a
telescope. Astronomy products are viewed as
family products - stargazing is an activity that
appeals to children as well as adults, something
the entire family can do together.
Who buys globes? People are likely to buy a
globe only if it is marketed to them - most
people do not know where to buy a globe. When
asked people say that they would expect to be
able to purchase a globe in a bookstore or a
department store. Most department stores do not
carry globes and most bookstores might carry one
low-end model at back-to-school time or
Christmas. Because high-quality, unique globes
are not found in mass market outlets their value
to high-end specialty retailers is increased.
Globes are perceived to be a masculine item,
therefore they make great men's gifts - but are
not exclusively men's gifts. Mail Order Catalogs
are very successful with our products because
the products are so visually interesting and the
copy can tell the story about how the globes are
made. We make all of the photographs in our
catalog available in high-resolution formats to
all retailers. Globes are decorative and
functional accessories for the home or office.
go HERE to see our great
selection of Globes
The Beauty of Knowledge
TM
Dedicated only to the
creation of world class
acrylic globes, highly
skilled American artisans
hand-fashion each Artline
Globe product for
unsurpassed quality. Our
state-of-the-art technology
allows us to offer a
lifetime guarantee of
quality and craftsmanship.
Beginning with museum
quality cast acrylic sheets;
each is cut to size, checked
for optical clarity, and
prepared for hand
application of the graphics.
Each sphere design begins
with specially developed,
hand-drawn polar azimuthal
projection cartography. Once
the cartographer has
approved the projection, it
is transferred from the
original cartography to a
photographic film master.
This original film work is
then transferred into a
specialized silk-screen
image. Each color applied to
the sphere requires an
individual silk-screen.
Depending on the sphere to
be created, this process can
require 8 to 18 separate
hand operations. Each piece
is then carefully inspected
and passed on to the thermal
process.
At this step, each piece
must be heat soaked for
several hours at high
temperatures. Then, with the
skilled eye of a highly
trained craftsperson, each
piece is fitted into a
blowing tool which uses only
air pressure to create the
hemisphere. To assure
optical clarity, the
hemispheres are free-blown,
similar to glass-blowing
techniques. Literally, each
sphere is slightly different
from any other. The
hemispheres are then passed
to the hands of the trimmer.
Here the two hemispheres are
trimmed of any excess
material, then carefully
matched to create a complete
sphere. Next, the spheres
are thoroughly cleaned and
polished to remove any
residue from the
manufacturing process.
Then, the highly skilled
globe maker makes a final
fitting and bonds the two
hemispheres, making a
complete sphere. The globe
maker then signs and dates a
Certificate of Authenticity,
personally certifying the
quality and appearance of
each sphere. Finally, the
product is individually
packed and prepared for
shipment.
Each Artline Globe product
reflects a standard of
excellence not achievable
with today's mass production
techniques. From the
multi-colored silk-screening
to the meticulous blowing,
shaping, and finishing, each
sphere is proudly passed
from the hands of our
craftspeople to yours.
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