Some of you may remember enormous glass flagons in old chemist shops, filled with coloured water - they were almost as ubiquitous as the barber's striped pole.  Cut glass globes like this one were made and used in France in 19th century and, if they appear in a sale, are usually unrecognised due to their rarity.  This one was in a Christie's sale in 2009,  with an estimate of £600-1,000, catalogued as cut glass globe and nothing else.  It would look stunning on a hall/side table just as a curiosity but a very striking one.  The attractive wood stand has suffered a bit over the years and has a few cracks and a hole in the back where it probably had some sort of fixing -  we have decided we don't have the skills to mend it properly although a specialist would certainly be able to improve on it if required.