Description

This is an American tellurian or orrery from the early twentieth century. It is signed on the aluminum arm: ‘UNIVERSAL PLANETARIUM, PAT. JAN 7, 1919, RUSSEL-HAWKES CO., KANSAS CITY MO.’  The arm has a small compass.  The base has a gold lettered calendar disk indicating the months, seasons, and zodiacal signs. The main support is metal covered with  wood. The Sun is represented by a hollow brass globe.  As the base is held with the one hand, the arm can be pushed around the Sun.  As this is done, the gears cause the Earth and Moon move appropriately, and the inner planet moves as well.  The Earth rotates on its axis, maintains its axis pointing in the northern direction and the Moon revolves around the earth in its appropriate inclined orbit.  The Moon phases are illustrated by a black hood, attached to a gear by a spring, which rotates around the Moon.  The instrument therefore illustrates the lunar cycle, the phases of the Moon, the reason for the seasons, and eclipses.  The inner planet revolves around the sun in an elliptical orbit.  It is about 12 inches high.  It is about 16 inches long minimum and about 26 inches long maximum.

CONDITION: This attractive planetarium, including its globe and all parts are in unusually fine working condition.  No gears are stripped. No teeth are missing. Losses to the globe are minimal as seen in the photos. There is some chipping paint loss to the Moon.  The Sun has fairly good lacquer with minor scuffs and losses, which really do not detract from its appearance as seen in the images.  This is a rare working example of this machine in unusually good condition.  In use the arm should be gently moved, as these machines have a tendency to have their gears break, especially the gears under the Sun, which are, unlike the other gears,  not made of brass.