Gilt brass astrolabe
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1583
This 170 mm diameter gilt brass astrolabe is attributed to the maker Johann Anton Linden of Heilbronn, Germany, based on stylistic similarities to other known instruments by the same maker.
The astrolabe features an unusually shallow mater designed to accommodate a single plate, which is marked for latitudes 45 and 48 degrees. The rete incorporates a foliate scroll design and flame-shaped star pointers, while the back displays concentric scales including altitude, zodiacal, Julian calendar, and Gregorian calendar divisions. Additionally, the back includes a double shadow scale and two specific horary quadrants for latitudes 45 and 48 degrees.
The instrument, which lacks both signature and date, was bequeathed to the British Museum by Octavius Morgan in 1888 and is documented in the institutional catalogue of European scientific instruments. The construction includes a throne with a swiveling plate and a riveted rim.
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
- Type
- German astrolabe
- Maker
- Johann Anton Linden
- Diameter
- 170 mm
- Material
- Gilt brass
- Star capacity
- 39 stars
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Horary features
- Two horary quadrants on the back
- Maker / attribution
- Johann Anton Linden
- Place of manufacture
- Heilbronn
Design
- Visible features
- • Rete features a foliate scroll design • Solstitial bar has a heart-shaped design • Star pointers are flame-shaped • Back plate incorporates two horary quadrants
- Scales and Markings
- The rim of the astrolabe displays two parallel 24-hour scales, one utilizing Arabic numerals (1 to 12 repeated) and one using Roman numerals (I to XXIV). Both are calibrated to half-hour increments. A central altitude scale is also present, divided into 90-degree quadrants. The back of the instrument contains four primary concentric scales: an altitude scale, a zodiacal scale with Latin names and symbols, a Julian calendar scale, and a Gregorian calendar scale. The inner area of the back plate features a double shadow scale labeled 'VMBRA VERSA' and 'VMBRA RECTA'. The upper section of this space contains two specific horary quadrants, configured for latitudes 45 and 48 degrees, respectively. The instrument does not contain any markings on the rule or the alidade.
- Construction and Design
- The instrument is a gilt brass astrolabe with a diameter of 170 mm. It features an unusually shallow mater capable of holding only one plate. The outer rim is riveted to the back plate and contains a recess at the 12 o'clock position underneath the throne to secure the plate's tongue. The internal surface of the mater does not feature any markings. The throne assembly consists of a round plate fitted with an additional swiveling component. On the exterior, the rete is characterized by a foliate scroll pattern outside the ecliptic ring. The solstitial bar, located inside the ecliptic and positioned above the equinoctial bar, is formed into a distinct heart shape. The instrument also features star pointers shaped like flames.
- Provenance and Attribution
- This astrolabe does not bear a maker's signature or a date of production. The attribution to Johann Anton Linden of Heilbronn, Germany, and the proposed date of circa 1583 are based on the instrument's morphological and decorative alignment with a signed astrolabe by the same maker held in the Museum of the History of Science in Oxford. The instrument was acquired by the British Museum through a bequest from Octavius Morgan in 1888. It is recorded in the museum's collection under the registration number MLA 1888,12-1.279 and is further documented in F. A. B. Ward's 1981 catalogue of European scientific instruments.
Identification
- Inventory number
- MLA 1888,12-1.279
- 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: Attribution to Johann Anton Linden is based on stylistic resemblance to other instruments rather than a signature
- Research required: Date is suggested by comparison with other instruments and is not engraved on this object