Vintage Harrah's Old World Desk Globe on Wood Base, c. 1997–2010
Viridian Eclection
The Piece A desk globe with an antiqued cartography, printed on a cream parchment ground with sepia mottling through the oceans, compass roses in the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean, and small engrav...
The Piece
A desk globe with an antiqued cartography, printed on a cream parchment ground with sepia mottling through the oceans, compass roses in the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean, and small engraved sailing ships. Countries are washed in soft coral, apricot and pale green. The equator runs as a doubled red and yellow band. The sphere turns on a brass half-meridian and sits on a turned maple base.
The base carries a small brass plaque, applied flush to the wood, reading Harrah's.
Someone marked the globe in pink on the ocean south of the Philippines: two crossed lines and a run of short strokes across the Celebes Sea. It has not been removed, and it is left as found.
History & Provenance
The map dates itself, and it is later than the styling suggests. Central Africa is labelled DEM. REP. CONGO. Zaire took that name on 17 May 1997, so the gores cannot have been printed before then. Three further markers agree: Kazakstan, Uzbek, Turkmen, Kyrgyz and Tajik all appear as separate states, which requires 1991 or after; Eritrea is shown apart from Ethiopia, which requires 1993; and Myanmar is named alongside Burma, a change of 1989.
What makes it read older is the styling. The parchment ground, the sepia oceans, the compass roses and the little ships are a deliberate old-world treatment that globe makers introduced in the 1980s and sold heavily through the following two decades. It is designed to look like 1930 and it does the job well. On the map evidence it is offered as c. 1997–2010.
The plaque is the Harrah's wordmark. Harrah's was founded in Reno by William F. Harrah in 1937 and grew from a bingo parlour on Virginia Street into one of the defining names of Nevada gaming, and a globe of this kind with a company plaque on the base is the sort of thing given as an executive desk piece or a service award rather than sold at retail. No presentation inscription or recipient's name appears anywhere on it, so the specific occasion is not recorded and none is claimed here.
Product Details
| Type | Terrestrial desk globe |
| Cartography | Antiqued old-world style on a cream ground, political colouring, compass roses and ship vignettes |
| Mount | Brass half-meridian on a turned maple base |
| Marks | Applied brass plaque to the base reading Harrah's |
| Era | c. 1997–2010, fixed by the map |
| Globe Diameter | 9 in. |
| Overall Height | 13 in. |
| Base Diameter | 6 in. |
| Condition | Sound. Sphere turns freely on its meridian and the base is clean and unmarked apart from the plaque. Pink marker lines on the ocean south of the Philippines, left as found. Light surface handling elsewhere, no dents, splits or lifting gores. |
Why It Belongs in Your Home
A globe earns its shelf because people cannot leave it alone. This one is the right size for a desk or a bookcase rather than a floor stand, and the antiqued colouring means it reads warm against books and wood instead of bright and scholastic.
The Harrah's plaque gives it a second life as Nevada gaming history, which in this state is a collecting category of its own.
Every piece is packed with professional-grade materials: multiple foam layers, double-boxing, directional and fragile handling labels. For large furniture we use custom timber crating. We photograph packing before dispatch and can provide images on request.
White-glove delivery is complimentary within 100 miles of Reno, NV. National shipping quotes provided at checkout. All shipments are photographed and documented. Damage claims must be filed with the carrier; we provide all documentation needed to support your claim.
Local pickup is available at Viridian HQ (Reno, NV) with 2–4 days notice. Contact us to arrange. Private viewings also available.
All antique and vintage items are sold as described and all sales are final. Each listing includes detailed condition notes and photographs so you can make a fully informed decision. We encourage buyers to ask questions — about condition, dimensions, finish, provenance — before purchasing.
Antiques are irreplaceable and one-of-a-kind. Carrier handling is outside our control once a piece has left our facility, and major carriers including FedEx do not insure antiques. We do everything within our power to ensure safe transit, but cannot accept liability for carrier damage. If damage occurs in transit, we will provide full documentation to support your carrier claim.
Have a question? — we're happy to provide additional photos, condition detail, or discuss the piece directly.
