Paper Astrolabe by Hans Herghamer
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1492
This astrolabe, dated 1492 and signed by Hans Herghamer, is constructed from ephemeral materials, consisting of vellum pasted onto a paper base with a matching paper rule.
Unlike traditional metal astrolabes, it features a paper volvelle representing the ecliptic circle rather than a conventional rete, centered by a colorful armorial design. The instrument was historically bound into a contemporary printed book, specifically a 1488 copy of Johannes Angelus’s 'Astrolabium', which facilitated its survival. The mater and limb are inscribed in red ink with cardinal directions and two miscellaneous astrological inscriptions regarding the moon's position in relation to birth and conception.
The Museum acquired the object in 1954 after it was removed from its original book binding by a dealer.
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
- 1492
- Type
- Latin-inscribed astrolabe
- Maker
- Hans Herghamer
- Place
- Germany
- Material
- Paper and vellum
- Provenance
- Acquired by exchange from Ernst Weil in 1954
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Discovery Context
- Removed from a copy of Johannes Angelus, Astrolabium, 1488
- Inscription Content
- Astrological notes on moon position and conception
- Maker / attribution
- Hans Herghamer
Design
- Visible features
- • Volvelle features a blue field with stars and a central armorial crest • Rule is double-ended and counter-changed • Inscriptions on the limb are written in red ink • The instrument is formed from layers of vellum and paper
- Construction and Design
- The instrument is primarily constructed from paper and vellum, reflecting a practice of utilizing ephemeral materials for scientific instruments intended for personal study. The mater is a piece of vellum pasted onto a larger paper sheet, with the limb featuring an equal hours scale numbered 1 to 12. Directions are marked in red ink around the limb, using Latin terminology such as Meridies, Occidens, Septentrio, and Oriens. The rete is replaced by a paper volvelle that displays only the ecliptic circle. At its center is an armorial motif surrounded by a star-adorned blue field. A simple, double-ended, counter-changed paper rule is attached at the center with a pin, allowing for movement over the horoscopic houses inscribed on the womb beneath.
- Signatures and Inscriptions
- The astrolabe bears the signature 'Hans Herghamer' and the date 1492. In addition to the maker's identification, the limb contains two miscellaneous inscriptions in red ink that relate to astrological calculations regarding the moon's position at the time of birth and conception. These inscriptions reflect the personal, scholarly use for which the device was created. The womb contains horoscopic houses numbered with superscript 'a', written in a cursive script. The meridian and horizon lines are also labeled in Latin, providing the necessary references for the user to perform astrological or time-keeping functions compatible with the manuscript books of the period.
- Provenance and Historical Context
- This astrolabe was formerly part of a 1488 copy of Johannes Angelus's 'Astrolabium'. It had been placed between the front board and the flyleaf of the book's contemporary leather binding, which contributed to its survival. The book was formerly in the library of Prince Liechtenstein before being sold by a London dealer, Dr. Ernst Weil. The Museum of the History of Science acquired the object through an exchange with Ernst Weil in 1954 after it had been separated from the volume. It remains a representative example of instruments that were once bound into manuscript tomes, though they are now rarely found in institutional collections of scientific instruments.
Identification
- Inventory Number
- 91897
- 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: Maker is described as an otherwise unknown amateur or scholar
- Research required: The significance of the specific armorial motif is not further detailed