Astrolabe by Georg Hartmann, 1537
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1537
This 160 mm diameter brass astrolabe is signed by the Nuremberg maker Georg Hartmann and dated 1537. The instrument features a mater with a signature and date, an alidade, and three plates for varying latitudes.
The throne exhibits the Hartmann shape, featuring two roses, a rosette, and two fir cones in a triangular arrangement supported by foliate scrolls. The rete is designed with arcs and split ends at the tropic of Capricorn and includes 27 named star pointers. The instrument contains matching components identified by the number '9'. The reverse side includes altitude scales, calendrical scales, two hour quadrants, and shadow scales, alongside the arms of Nuremberg and an Imperial Eagle.
It is part of the collection at the British Museum, having been acquired from William Wareham in 1880, and is documented in institutional academic catalogues for European scientific instruments.
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
- 1537
- Type
- Nuremberg astrolabe
- Maker
- Georg Hartmann
- Diameter
- 160 mm
- Signature
- GEORGIUS HARTMAN NORENBERGE FACIEBAT
- Place recorded
- Nuremberg
- Maker / attribution
- Georg Hartmann
- Place of manufacture
- Nuremberg
Design
- Rete and Plates
- The rete is formed primarily of circle arcs with split ends at the tropic of Capricorn and holds 27 pierced star pointers with their names engraved. The ecliptic is divided into 12 segments of 30 degrees, featuring serrations on the outer edge for single degrees. The equinoctial bar is counterchanged six times across its structure. The astrolabe includes three interchangeable plates, each marked on both sides with latitude-specific information ranging from 39 to 54 degrees. These plates display circles for the tropics and the equator, azimuths, and almucantars. They also feature astrological houses configured in the Regiomontanus manner, numbered with Roman numerals. Each plate is assigned a specific identifier, including a number and dots, which aligns with the components of the mater.
- Visible features
- • The throne features two roses, a rosette, and two fir cones in a triangular layout. • The mater rim is engraved with Latin names of the 12 winds clockwise. • The equinoctial bar of the rete is counterchanged six times. • The alidade lacks sighting vanes but shows rivets on one arm.
- Construction and Design
- The instrument is constructed from brass and measures 160 mm in diameter. The mater's rim displays the Latin names of 12 winds arranged clockwise, with internal markings for equal hours in Roman numerals and a 90 to 0 degree altitude scale. The throne possesses a distinct appearance characterized by two roses, a rosette, and two fir cones arranged in a triangle, supported by foliate scrolls. The reverse of the instrument features multiple circular scales including altitude, calendrical, and shadow scales, specifically 'VMBRA RECTA' and 'VMBRA VERSA'. The central area of the reverse side depicts an Imperial Eagle and the arms of Nuremberg, consisting of a crowned harpy on the left and a double-headed eagle on the right. The axis is composed of a threaded rivet secured by a nut with two holes, designed to be adjusted with a double-pointed key, which is included with the instrument.
- Signatures and Provenance
- The instrument bears the signature 'GEORGIUS HARTMAN NORENBERGE FACIEBAT' and the date 'ANNO MDXXXVII'. Individual components of the device are marked with the number '9', which is visible on the rete, the plates, and the mater. The instrument was acquired by the British Museum from William Wareham in 1880. It is recorded in the museum's inventory and has been published in academic documentation regarding scientific instrument collections in European history.
Identification
- Accession number
- MLA 1880,3-8.2
- 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: The exact purpose of the numeric '9' markings is suggested to indicate extensive production but remains a descriptive interpretation.
- Research required: One arm of the alidade appears to have rivets for a vane, but the vane itself is absent.