Erasmus Habermel Astronomical Compendium
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Late 16th century
This late 16th-century astronomical compendium is constructed from gilt copper and measures 105 x 60 x 22 mm. It is designed in the form of a book, featuring two leaves mounted on a hollow arched spine, intended to hold paper or tablets for writing.
The device includes a horizontal string gnomon sundial adjustable for four latitudes (50, 48, 45, and 42 degrees), a compass with 26 mm diameter engraved with Italian wind names, and assorted calendrical, astrological, and arithmetical tables. Miniature gunner's gauge scales for iron, lead, and stone are integrated into the bevelled sides. It remains part of the collection of the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford, under inventory number 44392.
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
- Central European astronomical compendium
- Maker
- Erasmus Habermel
- Compass
- 26 mm diameter
- Material
- Gilt copper
- Signature
- Pragae fecit Erasmus Habermehl
- Dimensions
- 105 x 60 x 22 mm
- Place recorded
- Prague
- Maker / attribution
- Erasmus Habermel
Design
- Visible features
- • Hinged gilt copper book-like construction • Adjustable folding string gnomon • Compass bowl engraved with sixteen principal winds • Miniature gunner's scales labelled for iron, lead, and stone
- Construction and Design
- The compendium is fashioned as a book with two leaves attached to a hollow arched spine, intended to accommodate paper or tablets for a notebook. When closed, the leaves maintain a 13 mm separation to allow for inserted material. The assembly is secured by a spring-held clasp operated via a button. The outer face of the spine displays a table detailing the latitudes of 15 cities, ranging from Rome to Prague. At one end, a folding leaf attached to a thin plate provides a mechanism to retain the internal sheets or tablets within the spine's cavity.
- Gunner's Scales and Markings
- In addition to its astronomical features, the device incorporates scales for gunnery. These are engraved onto the long bevelled sides of the inner faces and include 'Plumbum' (lead), 'Lapis' (stone), and 'Ferrum' (iron) markings, alongside a general scale of equal parts. The object is signed 'Pragae fecit Erasmus Habermehl' along the hinge of the upper cover, attributing the work to the Prague-based instrument maker.
- Astronomical and Mathematical Functions
- The interior of the lower cover houses a horizontal string gnomon sundial with a support adjustable for four specific latitudes. Accompanying the dial are two tables covering sunrise, sunset, and daylight duration. A compass with 26 mm diameter is also recessed into this face, engraved with the names of sixteen winds in Italian. The upper cover features multiple tables including a 'Tabula Planetarum Diei', a multiplication table, and a Gregorian calendar scale. Two graphical conversion devices on the exterior face allow for the conversion between equal, Italian, and unequal hours.
Identification
- Reference
- 44392
- Inventory Number
- 44392
- 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 two small holes on the inside face of the top cover remains unknown
- Research required: The grid on the outer face lacks a clear function as it does not incorporate a degree scale