FAQ, Customisation & Personalisation Options

Our website is long overdue for an overhaul & re-design to be a lot clearer on what can be done as far as personalisations and custom orders. Please see below for some commonly asked questions:

Q. Is Bellerby & Co. Globemakers a British company?

A. Yes, we are based in North London, and all of our globes are crafted by hand in our studio.

Q. What materials do you use?

A. Designed to last many lifetimes, we use only the finest quality materials. Our globes are made up from durable plaster, resins, grp, solid brass, Sennelier colour pigments, PH neutral glue, and sustainable wood.

Q. How do I make a purchase?

A. In the UK you can purchase Mini Desk Globes and The Livingstone globes from Harrods or on-line through our website. Larger globes can be discussed and ordered by phone +44 (0) 20 8800 7235, or by email.

For commissions we require 50% payment as a deposit, and 50% on delivery.

Q. Which payment methods do you accept?

A. To purchase a Mini Desk Globe online we accept all credit and debit cards or you can pay directly through PayPal.

If ordering Classical, Churchill or Bespoke models, or you wish to purchase the Mini Desk Globe over the phone, we can take payment by BACS, Cheque or Credit Card (Visa / Mastercard only).

Q. Is it safe to use my card on your website?

A. Yes absolutely. To help ensure a safe and secure shopping journey, Bellerby & Co. protects all customer information.

When you place orders, our systems work with the browser software on your computer to establish a secure, encrypted connection using an Internet-standard technology called SSL.

Q. Which countries do you ship to?

A. We ship direct from our London Studio, to every country in the world! Please be aware some countries have added fees and customs procedures for products shipped in.

Q. What are the shipping fees?

A. We work with great shipping companies that offer very competitive rates which we pass directly on to you, please email or call with your address & name of globe you are interested in for a quote.

Q. Can you customise my globe?

A. Yes, since we make each globe bespoke & to order… and all of our woodwork & metal work is either done in house or locally.. you are not limited to ordering what you see online.

A globe is a fantastic way to commemorate a special occasion or compliment a decoration scheme, we can help customise colours, customise the cartography, add illustrations, or make a specially engraved plaque or base. We also undertake artist commissions of all sorts.

*Please keep in mind delivery times will most likely be extended from time frames listed on our website.

Q. Can i make additions to the cartography?

A. Starting with the 36cm Livingstone globe, you can request up to 20 additions to the cartography at no extra cost. For more please enquire when you place your order.

**If you would like additions to the cartography on a 23cm Mini Desk Globe please enquire beforehand & be sure to mention how many additions / when you ideally need your globe by.

Q. What can i get engraved?

**The Mini Desk Globes include an engraving on the copper plate that sits in the base. This is included in the price and holds up to 40 characters.

**The Livingstone Desk Globe includes a hand-engraved message on the brass arm of the globe. This holds up to 30 characters.

**The Britannia and Galileo globes in the traditional bases includes a hand engraved message around the brass meridian around the globe we recommend a commissioning mark like names, dates or favourite quotes.

**For an extra cost we can engrave the brass, aluminium, copper or marble bases directly into the outside surface. Options are endless!

Q. I wan to add an illustrations?

A. Sea monsters in the oceans, your favourite family photo, love letters in the Pacific Ocean, turtles in the Galapagos, pyramids in Giza, sailboats.. and ships sailing the oceans… we can do anything.

**We have very talented illustrators working for us, please enquire about possibilities, costs and timeframes for completion.

Q. I want a colour i don’t see on your website? / I’ve seen XXX on Instagram….

A. Some colours offered and not shown include (click links)

Pistachio, Charcoal (grey), Champagne, Gagarin (think Google-Earth) +++

>> Click here for blog post with all colours in our collection <<

**There may be a small additional cost if you commission a globe in a colour that we have never done before, this will be so that we can test colours and send you options to ensure we create what you have in mind!

Q. When will my globe be delivered?

A. It will take anywhere between a couple weeks to a few months depending on the size of your globe and the time of year you order it. We will confirm estimates before you place your order and update you on the delivery throughout your globes journey.

We are a small team and we make globes the slow way, right now we are taking orders for 2016. It is advisable to plan ahead if you are wanting to purchase a globe for an upcoming birthday, anniversary or Christmas 2016. We think we are well worth the wait

**Since we don’t keep stock & each globe is made to order…. we can make you something very special to give your partner, colleague or friend in the place of the globe if we cannot deliver in time / you order with short notice. We hand paint a gore (piece of the map that goes onto a globe) and send you a message to let them know that a bespoke one-of-a-kind globe has been commissioned in their honour. We include some information about the company so they understand the process & time involved in making it. You can then follow the progress of everything we are working on via Instagram!

Q. Do you offer gift cards?

A. Yes, please see above.

Q. How will my globe by packaged?

The Mini Desk Globes & Livingstone globes come in a bespoke flight case which makes for great gift-giving. The larger globes have crates built to safely hold and transport them.

Q. How do i go about figuring our what kind of globe i want?

A. If you aren’t sure how to order what you want and you aren’t seeing the perfect globe for you in our “collection“… a good starting point it whether you would like a traditional base or one of Bellerby & Co’s signature 360 degree spin bases.

From there choose a wood or metal…. and a colour globe…. keeping in mind the variation in ocean / land colours and how the style of shading around the continents differs from globe to globe.

To understand a little better where to go from there and what all the various names mean ….

–The Standard : what we call the thicker wood base that holds 3 semi-hidden ball bearings that allow for a 360 degree spin. This can be made in a variety of wood, in solid brass, solid copper, or solid aluminium. It can be made for any sized globe, 23cm, 36cm, 50cm, 80cm, 127cm.

–The Albion : what we call the thinner (slimmer) wood base that holds 3 semi-hidden ball bearings that allow for a 360 degree spin. This can be made in a variety of wood, in solid brass, solid copper, or solid aluminium. It can be made for any sized globe, 23cm, 36cm, 50cm, 80cm, 127cm. For the metals, they are very heavy so we usually stick to making them just for the Mini Desk Globes.

The Livingstone : our 36cm globe, on a traditional base unless otherwise requested. Choice between stained cherry wood or ebonised wood. Comes in Prussian Blue, Reed Green or Ochre. We also have a Celestial globe. Please see our website for examples or enquire regarding a different base.

–The Britannia : our 50cm globe. – The Galileo : our 80cm globe. Both these globes come on a traditional floor standing globe – please enquire about other options including metal, marble and 360 degree spinners.

-The Curve : The 80cm globe on a modern base. Designed by the team who made the innovative work/ accommodation pods for the British Antarctic Survey. Heritage technicians from Aston Martin make the aluminium base, and the wooden edition is fabricated by a skilled local craftsman.

–Marble Bases : they are not listed on our website but click through to see examples on our blog. We offer a lot of personalisation options for the white marble bases.

–Matte or Glossy : all of our globes on bases that have ball-bearings for a 360 degree spin will be finished matte. Globes on traditional bases usually have a gloss finish, please enquire if you would like to know more about your options.

–Traditional Bases : For the 50cm Britannia and 80cm Galileo floor standing globes we have traditional bases and show limited colours. Please enquire about other colour options or about have a base that allows a 360 degree spin.

Q. Are you open to visitors?

A. As a small working studio, we are currently only open to customers by appointment only. Owing to popular demand, we will be organising open-house events in the upcoming future. To register your interest please email jade@bellerbyandco.com –

Q. How do I become a globemaker?

A. Learning the globe-making profession requires patience, skill and dedication. Apprentices at Bellerby & Co. can expect to train for 6 months before accomplishing the demanding standards we strive to uphold in all aspects of our craft. From original cartography and goring, to watercolours and carpentry, globe-making is a truly multi-disciplined career.

We are not currently looking for any new team members but we are always interested to hear from talented potential candidates. If you would like to get in contact, please send a copy of your cv and a brief description of yourself to studio@bellerbyandco.com.

Some personalisation inspiration …………………