Some help to identify antique world map

Hi everyone,

I've had this "sculpture" in the family for a while now, passed on from generation to generation but none of my precedecessors have bothered to find out more about it.

Here are a few facts: top layer is brass, it is about 15" long, 10" wide and 1/2" thick, hand carved (I think), the back plate is made of wood and it also has a layer of petrified honey (the opinion of a friend), very heavy (about 15 pounds).

Could anyone tell me anything about this amazing piece? I mean how old do you think it is, who might be the author, what does it actually represent besides the obvious and how much do you think it might be worth.

Thank you very much in advance for any info.

 

Feels like 1920s to me, this sort of metalwork enjoyed a period of popularity. It represents a world map of about 1700. Could be much later, up to the 60s. I am quite sure it is not earlier. I have occasionally been wrong.

Full image is the preferred choice, you could go and edit your post to select all images full size.

 

????

I don't see that...

 

I'd guess that the top layer is actually copper rather than brass. I'd guess the middle layer is hardened pitch (resin). From the 1960s to the present one could get kits to do a similar sort of work; these kits had a very thin sheet of copper which one would press into a plastic mold to make arty pieces.
Older versions, like in the 1920s, would have had a thin sheet of copper which would be pressed into a wood or metal mold; then melted resin (not fiberglass resin, but melted pine-pitch) would be poured into it to strengthen it.
This is partly guess-work, but I'm pretty sure the middle layer will not be petrified honey, and the color of the top suggests copper rather than brass.
Photos of the wood backing might help to get a date; the patina or lack of it should reveal something about age.

 

Looks 1960s to me ? Can we see a pic of the back ?

 

Here's a pic of the back...

 

Petrified honey could also be a thick layer or layers of shellac.

 

I've shown this to a few people and much to my surprise one of them, a history teacher, even made me an offer to buy it... 1200$ which got me thinking. He definitely knows something I don't but would only tell me he thinks it is a 1920s piece. Could it really be worth that much or was he just teasing me? One other thing is that after browsing the net I could not find another one like this anywhere so far...

 

Snatch his hand off with the money. I am surprised teachers have that much to spend.

 

Take the money and run. I am not seeing anything all that special about this. Nice decorative thing but not really a map in any collectible sense.

 

It's an interesting piece, but I don't see it as an actual MAP, just a wall-hanging. If someone wants to pay $1,200 for it, I say take the money and RUN before that guy changes his mind. Better that he gets burned over it rather than you.

 

Yeah take the money, I'm almost positive $1200. Is WAY more than it would bring at any auction. If it were solid cast bronze or similar it might bring many $hundreds, but as-is it looks recent and something that might not get over $50.

I'm familiar with that type of offer too. When you go to collect your windfall there's a lot of sputtering and red-faced giggles, "Oh I was just kidding" or some other excuse. If on the off-chance he is serious, do insist on cash.