Astrolabe, late 16th century
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
late 16th century
This late 16th-century brass astrolabe (inventory number 45365) from Flanders features a pierced throne with c-shaped scroll work and is secured with a simple, round cross-section ring and square, ornate shackle.
The instrument consists of a two-piece, riveted mater and limb construction, containing three plates with latitudes ranging from 42° to 48°. The back displays seven distinct scales including degree, zodiacal signs, calendar, unequal hours, equal hours, and two shadow squares. The arsenius-type rete incorporates design elements attributed to both Mercator and Arsenius, marked with 48 stars identified by flamant pointers.
The instrument includes a double-ended, counter-changed rule and alidade. A nut shaped as a Maltese cross secures the rete and plates, with the bolt integrated into the alidade. The object was purchased in 1952 from H. E. Backer and is held in the History of Science Museum, Oxford.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- late 16th century
- Type
- Latin-inscribed astrolabe
- Rete type
- Arsenius type
- Acquisition
- Purchased from H. E. Backer in 1952
- Former owner
- Guinigi family
- Throne style
- Pierced type with c-shaped scroll work
- Place recorded
- Flanders
- Place of origin
- Flanders
Design
- Visible features
- • Nut in the shape of a Maltese Cross • Pierced throne with c-shaped scroll work • Flamant star pointers on the rete • Square, ornate shackle
- Provenance and History
- The instrument was acquired by the History of Science Museum, University of Oxford, in 1952. It was purchased from H. E. Backer, a London dealer who had offered a collection for sale that originally belonged to an unidentified collector in Rome. The astrolabe's recorded history notes it formerly belonged to the Guinigi family of Lucca, Italy. The cataloguing identifies the object's origin as Flanders in the late 16th century, though no specific workshop or maker is identified.
- Construction and Design
- The astrolabe is constructed primarily of brass and features a pierced throne designed with c-shaped scroll work. The support is attached via a screwed base. The ring is a plain, round cross-section rod, while the shackle is a square, ornate box-style component. The mater and limb are joined through a two-piece riveted construction. The rete is of the arsenius type, incorporating design characteristics associated with both Mercator and Arsenius. It contains 48 stars, all indicated by flamant-style pointers. The zodiacal labels on the rete cover the standard twelve signs from Aries to Pisces. A bolt integrated into the alidade passes through the center to secure the rete and plates, and it is tightened with a nut shaped like a Maltese cross.
- Scales and Instrumentation
- The back of the instrument contains seven functional scales: degrees, zodiacal signs, calendar dates, unequal hours, equal hours, and two shadow squares. The womb contains an ornate Quadratum nauticum with a full windrose. The plates are supplied in a set of three, covering latitudes from 42° to 48°. The rule and the alidade are double-ended and counter-changed. The rule features declination scales on both arms, while the alidade is rigid and contains double sights for observation. The scales on the limb include a degree scale from 0 to 360 and a scale for equal hours.
Identification
- Serial number
- 45365
- Inventory number
- 45365
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Maker is not documented
- Research required: Specific attribution to the Guinigi family is a provenance claim