Astrolabe, ca. 1600

Technical characteristics

Date

ca. 1600

Type

Latin-inscribed astrolabe

Maker

Philippe Danfrie (?)

Place

Paris (?)

Material

Brass

Star count

41 stars

Acquisition

Presented by Lewis Evans in 1924

Place recorded

Paris (?)

Maker / attribution

Philippe Danfrie (?)

Design

Visible features

• Rete incorporates 41 star pointers with flammant shapes • Throne features intricate foliate engraving • Reverse side includes detailed zodiacal signs and calendar scales • Central disk of the pointer marked with 64 small hashmarks

Construction and Design

The astrolabe is constructed primarily of brass and exhibits fine decorative detail, particularly on its components. The throne is an engraved, integrated base extending from the limb, which is itself part of the primary plate. This structure supports an omega-shaped shackle adorned with engraved lines resembling flower petals. The rete is noted for its ornate design, which employs a trompe l’oeil effect, using shading on the lattice and star pointers to simulate three-dimensional interwoven strapwork. The central pointer is specifically marked with 64 small hashmarks along its perimeter. The integration of the limb and mater into a single brass plate forms the foundation of the device, which also carries the primary degree and hour scales necessary for astronomical observation.

Provenance and Attribution

Inventory number 35082 was presented to the History of Science Museum, Oxford, by Lewis Evans in 1924. While the exact acquisition history of the object prior to this donation is not recorded, its stylistic features serve as the basis for its attribution. The instrument is unsigned, but its decorative style, particularly the rete, is compared to that of inventory no. 34268, which shares similarities with the work of the Louvain-based workshops and the known designs of Philippe Danfrie. The pin and nut assembly currently holding the instrument together is suspected to be a later replacement. Despite the lack of a maker's mark or signature, the piece is categorized within the context of Parisian instrument-making around the year 1600 based on these technical and visual comparisons.

Rete and Astronomical Scales

The rete contains 41 stars, each marked with a distinctive flammant pointer. The zodiacal signs are engraved along the ecliptic scale, ranging from Aries through Pisces, each clearly labeled. The back of the instrument is equipped with six distinct circular, concentric, and eccentric scales: degree, zodiacal signs, calendar, a shadow square, and a windrose. These are complemented by inscriptions indicating the cardinal directions in French, specifically "Midy" (South), "Occident" (West), "Septentrion" (North), and "Orient" (East). The internal womb plate is configured for a latitude of approximately 49 degrees. It displays circles for the equator, the tropics, and various lines including the horizon rectus and obliquus. The unequal hours and horoscopic houses are numbered using stamped script, providing a comprehensive functional layout for celestial measurement.

Identification

Reference

35082

Inventory number

35082

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.