Gilt Brass Planispheric Astrolabe
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1541
This 108 mm diameter planispheric astrolabe, crafted from gilt brass, is attributed to an unidentified 16th-century imitator of the Nuremberg instrument maker Georg Hartmann.
While the instrument bears a signature and date of 1541, specific technical features—such as the use of Arabic numerals for latitudes, the lack of a fabrication number, and the unconventional notation of the year—contrast with known works by Hartmann. The instrument features a rete with twenty-four star-pointers, a central plate with Regiomontanus house-division projections, and a reverse side with a zodiacal calendar and shadow squares.
The suspension system involves a ring and a swivelling pin on a throne decorated with rosettes.
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
- 1541
- Type
- Nuremberg astrolabe
- Diameter
- 108 mm
- Material
- Gilt brass
- Acquisition
- 1953
- House System
- Regiomontanus
- Place recorded
- Nuremberg
- Maker Signature
- GEORGIVS HARTMAN NOREMBERGE FACIBAT ANNO M D XLI
- Maker / attribution
- Georg Hartmann (attributed to a contemporary imitator)
Design
- Visible features
- • Throne decorated with three eight-petalled rosettes • Rete contains 24 star-pointers • Reverse features zodiacal calendar and symmetrical shadow boxes
- Technical Attribution
- Although the instrument features a signature and a date of 1541, there are significant indicators that it was produced by a contemporary imitator rather than Georg Hartmann himself. The inscription of the year in Roman numerals, rather than the Arabic numerals associated with Hartmann's work, is cited as a further inconsistency. These discrepancies suggest that while the instrument was created in the 16th century, it was the product of a different, less precise workshop.
- Construction and Design
- The instrument is constructed from gilded brass and measures 108 mm in diameter. It is designed with a suspension ring passing through a swivel pin at the throne, which is decorated with three eight-petalled rosettes on both sides. The front limb displays an altitude scale and an equal hour scale. The rete is designed to rotate freely over a single central plate, which is held in position by a lug. This plate is engraved on both sides for distinct latitudes. The reverse of the instrument is also marked with altitude scales and a zodiacal calendar for the Julian calendar, though this side remains unfinished.
- Provenance and Documentation
- The instrument is currently held by the Museum Boerhaave in Leiden and is identified by inventory number 3087. It was previously recorded under the references IC 535 and A 383 before its acquisition at an auction in 1953. The object has been the subject of scholarly research regarding its attribution, with references made to H. Klemm's 1989 publication on Georg Hartmann, which provides context for the maker's known instruments and the output of his period.
Identification
- Inventory Number
- 3087
- 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: Signed as Georg Hartmann but suspected to be the work of an imitator
- Research required: Unfinished state of the reverse latitude projections