Description

Origin: Probably Southern Germany (Nuremberg or Augsburg) or the Flemish region (Louvain or Antwerp).

Date: circa 1580–1620

Material: finely engraved brass

Diameter: 9 cm

A beautifully crafted planispheric astrolabe or equinoctial sundial, dating from the scientific Renaissance. The instrument features a rotating rete and latitude circles engraved with major European cities, allowing adjustment for various locations.

Principal Latin inscription:

“Ni certa solis lumina de vient”

(“Even the rays of the sun are uncertain [or inconstant].”)

A philosophical reflection on time and change, typical of German Renaissance scientific instruments with moral inscriptions.

Cities and latitudes engraved:

Londini (London) – 52°30′

Colonia (Cologne) – 50°

Aquisgrani (Aachen) – 50°

Parisiis (Paris) – 48°

Vienna – 48°22′

Ulysipona (Lisbon) – 38°40′

Matriti (Madrid) – 40°14′

Romae (Rome) – 41°51′

Pragae (Prague) – 50°4′

This remarkable instrument likely originates from a germano-flemish workshop, most probably Augsburg or Nuremberg, two renowned centers for precision instrument-making in the late Renaissance. Its delicate engraving, philosophical motto, and geographic precision exemplify the humanist fusion of science, art, and moral thought.

A rare and museum-worthy piece for collectors of early scientific instruments.