IT sat for decades by the study fireside of an exclusive Edinburgh house gathering soot.

But the globe belonging to Scottish adventurer, artist, musician and writer William Burn Murdoch was also gathering the signatures of some of the world's most renowned explorers who came to stay with him.

Now the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) has launched an appeal to raise £10,000 to have this remarkable historical artefact restored to its former glory so it can be put on public display.

Mike Robinson, chief executive of the RSGS, said the Burn Murdoch Globe, which features the initials and signatures of such renowned figures as Captain Scott, Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen, was one of the highlights of the society's polar collection gathered over the past 130 years, but had never been put on display because of its condition.

He said: "We have over 4,000 books as well as artefacts and maps, but the globe is one of the gems in this collection as it records the names of many of the greatest polar explorers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

"It is essential to have the globe restored not only to clean away the soot, but also to preserve its signatures. We are intrigued to see what else the restoration will uncover and look forward to putting it on display for all to see."

The large 19th century globe, which is reversed to have the South Pole at the top, also throws the spotlight on the fascinating, but little known history of Burn Murdoch himself.

Born in 1862 in Edinburgh, Burn Murdoch was an accomplished artist, writer, piper, explorer and hunter.

A man of diverse interests, he joined his friend WS Bruce's Dundee Antarctic Whaling Expedition in 1892 and was credited as being Antarctica's first "artist in residence" and also lays claim to be the first man to play the bagpipes there.

He worked on various enterprises with Bruce and wrote about his experiences as a commercial whaler, and his various hunts for polar bears, even presenting a polar bear cub, which he named Starboard, to the Zoological Society of Scotland.

He also travelled in India, Burma and China and his paintings and sketches from the period are in numerous public and private collections, including the V&A, Dundee Art Galleries and Museums and the National Museums Scotland.

Burn Murdoch, who dies in 1939, became a member of the RSGS in 1899, was elected a fellow five years later, and served several terms as a member of the society's council.

Mr Robinson said: "What is interesting is that Burn Murdoch was a really gregarious guy, he was the first artist in residence in the Antarctic and therefore had a real legitimacy with the leading explorers and knew many personally.

"Burn Murdoch was also a vice-president of RSGS and would host explorers when they spoke for the society, which is how many of the famous names found their place on the globe.

"The Burn Murdoch globe is unique and its autographs are invaluable to preserving the history of what was a very exciting time for polar exploration. Almost all of the major polar explorers of the day were hosted by RSGS and many of them stayed with Burn Murdoch."

However, the globe, which stood in the study of his Edinburgh home at Arthur Lodge, in the Newington area of the city, will need extensive refurbishment before it can be put on public display.

The varnished paper surface of the globe is dirty and discoloured with soot, with some small scratches and indentations, while the wooden stand itself, with a compass at the base, is also worn and needs a replacement glass protection cap.