Lot 163
163
An fine reproduction brass armillary sphere,
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more
An fine reproduction brass armillary sphere,

Details
An fine reproduction brass armillary sphere,
signed on the underside of the compass support Dean R White fecit Bampton Devonia 2000, after the mid 18th-Century original by Daniel Heckinger of Augsburg, c.1735, the sphere with the earth at the centre engraved with lines of latitude and longitude and the ecliptic, with sigils for the houses of the Zodiac, with rings for POLUS ARCTICUS, TROPICUS CANCER, TROPICUS CAPRICORN and POLUS ANTARCTICUS, with stamped graduated equatorial and ecliptic, the colures unlabelled, held within the meridian circle stamped on one side with graduations in degrees in four quadrants, with graduated hour dial with pointer and turned finial, the horizon ring stamped and graduated in degrees, days of the month and days of the houses of the Zodiac raised on four quadrant supports on the fluted cap to a baluster-turned column raised on a disc supported by four scrolled bracket legs, each with a turned finial, between which is held a sixteen-point wind rose, each point labelled, at the centre a glazed compass box, graduated in degrees and with an iron needle -- 17in. (43.2cm.) high

See Colour Illustration
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The Heckinger original, on which this armillary sphere is based, was sold at Christie's London on 24 June 1998, in the sale of Globes and Planetaria, Lot 47. The Heckinger armillary sphere was from the renowned Robert Seligman collection and is the only known surviving instrument by an Augsburg maker of the highest quality.

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