Beschreibung:

A fine late 16th or 17th century European brass astrolabe possibly Flemish , unsigned, the two plates for latitudes 37o to 43o which covers the Iberian peninsular -- Dimensions: Mater, outer diameter 6.3in.(160mm); thickness of rim 0.2in.(5.4mm). Thickness of rete, c. 2mm; of plates 0.8-1.05mm The Throne is small, with a folaite bracket to a simple attachment for the ring The mater is constructed from a cast brass plate with a rim rivetted to it using nineteen brass rivets. The rim is divided with two scales, one 0-360o, the other of hours, 24 (twice XII) in 4-minute intervals. On the inside of the mater is engraved a Quadratum Nauticum of the Gemma Frisius type, along the left-hand border is marked: Latit Aust - Latit Boral , the bottom is marked: Long occident - Long orient , each quarter has a scale of degrees, 0-90o, in 2-degree intervals, radiating from the centre are lines representing the 32 wind directions or points of the compass, alternate lines being labelled with the name of a wind, such as Septentrio, Subsolanus, Notus and Zephyrus . The back of the mater is engraved with a universal stereographic projection (SAPHEA) of the Gemma Frisius Type, with positions of 14 stars and one group of 7 stars marked by six pointed symbols, the names are engraved As engraved Popular name Eri ext [Eridani extrema] Acamar Ocul [Oculus Tauri] Aldebaran Or sin pes [Pes sinister Orionis] Rigel Hircus [Hircus Aurigae] Capella Or dex hum [Humerous dexter Orionis] Betelgeuse Canop [Canopus] Canopus Syrius Sirius Procy [Procyon] Procyon Cor[Cor Leonis] Regulus Vrsa [Ursae Mayoris - 7 stars marked] Dubhe and others Spica [Spica Verginis] Spica Arcturus Arcturus Lyra Vega Aquila Altair Pos fu aqu [Postrema aquae fusae] Formalhaut