Paperblanks Notebook Hunt-Lenox-Globus 12.5 x 18 cm, Lined, Brown

Here is an excerpt of the Hunt-Lenox Globe, one of the oldest globes in existence. The Hunt-Lenox is particularly special because it features one of only two historical maps inscribed with "HC SVNT DRACONES" ("Here be dragons"). Today, it is part of the rare book collection of the New York Public Library.

Among the greatest treasures in the New York Public Library collection is a hollow copper globe with a diameter of just 112 mm.

This remarkable globe is dated to around 1510 and bears a strong resemblance to the Jagellonicus globe in the Collegium Maius Museum in Kraków. The Hunt-Lenox Globe is unique because it features one of only two historical maps inscribed with "HC SVNT DRACONES" ("Here be dragons").

It is considered one of the oldest globes and the oldest that depicts the American continents. The American architect Richard M. Hunt purchased it in Paris in 1855 for a mere pittance, and initially, it was thought to be just a trinket. It was only when writer Henry Stevens recognized its significance that Hunt donated the globe to the Lenox Library—James Lenox's vast collection of paintings, books, and other objects—which he designed as chief architect.

Today, the globe is part of the rare book collection of the New York Public Library and is displayed in the Polonsky Exhibition of the New York Public Library's treasures. We are honored to include this fascinating document in our Paperblanks collection in collaboration with the library.