Anders Åkerman
Swedish globe maker (1721 or 1723 – 1778) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anders Åkerman (1721 or 1723 – 1778) was a Swedish globe maker. He was the son of a carpenter and his mother worked as a servant at a manor house. He studied mathematics in Uppsala University and learnt engraving. In 1758 he was engaged by a newly formed cosmographic society to produce terrestrial and celestial globes, with the purpose of propagating geographic knowledge and offering a cheaper alternative to imported globes. He produced a first model pair, consisting of a terrestrial globe and a celestial globe, in 1759–60.
A smaller, second model pair was produced from 1762, and a third model pair, larger than the earlier two pairs, in 1766. Despite continuous support from several benefactors, the production never became commercially viable and suffered further setback following a fire which devastated Åkerman's workshop in 1766. He died destitute, though the workshop would continue to exist in changing forms for around a century. Åkerman was the first one to produce terrestrial and celestial globes in Sweden.