Accession No

6508

Brief Description

table orrery (planetarium), by Nairne and Blunt (likely workshop of Benjamin Cole), English, 1783 (c)

Origin

England; London; Cornhill

Maker

Nairne and Blunt [likely made in the workshop of Benjamin Cole and then sold by Nairne and Blunt carrying the latters' signature]

Class

astronomy; demonstration

Earliest Date

1774

Latest Date

1793

Inscription Date

Material

metal (brass, steel); wood (mahogany, pine); paint; paper; ivory; plaster (?); plastic (?)

Dimensions

[Orrery:] 285mm diameter (350mm wide inc. handle); 315mm tall [Box dimensions:] 347mm d x 345mm h x 347mm w

Special Collection

Provenance

Purchased from Trevor Philips and Sons, 75a Jermyn Street, St. James’s, London, SW1Y 6NP, on or before 07/03/2012. Purchased with a grant-in-aid from the PRISM fund.

Inscription

[On horizon scale, between June and July:] NAIRNE & BLUNT London
[On celestial sphere rings:] ARTIC [sic] CIRCLE
TROPIC OF CANCER
[On modern nameplate/repair:] GALLAND & CIE

Description Notes

Table orrery (planetarium), by Nairne and Blunt [probably workshop of Benjamin Cole], English, c. 1783.

Mahogany circular case, housing gearing mechanism. Turned mahogany on steel and brass detachable handle slots into brass-framed socket on side of case. Case has 12 turned brass pillars which support the engraved celestial horizon scale and the rings of the celestial sphere. Horizon scale has outer calendar scale graduated to days of the year, labelled with month names (3-letter abbreviations), and inner zodiac scale graduated to days of the year, labelled with names of the twelve constellations of the zodiac (3-letter abbreviations and symbols). “Artic Circle” [sic] and “Tropic of Cancer” rings of the celestial sphere are inscribed with their names. Equator ring of celestial sphere divided into 12 sections labelled with Roman numerals. Meridian ring of the celestial sphere marked with degrees of declination in 10-degree divisions.

Earth, Moon, Mercury and Venus mounted on blue painted revolving plate which covers the gearing below. Brass Sun mounted at the centre of the blue plate. Mercury appears to be a solid ivory ball (not clear if original or not), mounted on brass arm connected to revolving circular brass attachment connected to brass stem holding the Sun. Venus appears to be a modern replacement, possibly a solid plastic (?) ball, mounted on brass arm connected to revolving circular brass attachment connected to brass stem holding the Sun (Venus ball is much whiter than Mercury or Moon ivory balls). Earth is solid globe of wood or plaster (?), with printed colour paper gores labelled with major continents and seas, mounted oblique to ecliptic on a steel pin with cog attachment to brass gear hidden below a brass plate marked with the signs of the constellations of the zodiac. The Moon is an ivory ball (not clear if original or not), half painted black, on brass arm mounted on small circular painted blue plate sitting almost flush on top of larger main blue plate. A second small plate slightly larger than the moon’s plate and sited directly beneath it holds two brass arms that hold an ecliptic ring around Earth and Moon. Outside this plate is a brass ring screwed into main blue plate, marked with 29 and 1/2 days of lunar month. Fixed onto this brass ring is a turned brass arm that holds a day/night arc above the Earth. Fixed on other side of the main blue plate, diametrically opposite to the Earth, is another turned brass arm, holding a pointer for the celestial horizon scale.

The makers’ signature is found on the celestial horizon scale, between June and July, partially obscured by the Tropic of Cancer ring’s join with horizon scale. Reads: NAIRNE & BLUNT London. Also screwed onto upper surface of the mahogany case, underneath the celestial horizon scale (roughly underneath February), is a small brass plate that straddles a crack in the case. This plate appears modern and may, therefore, have been added later as a repair. It carries the inscription “GALLAND & CIE”, the name of a Swiss bank, and it may therefore be inferred that this institution was a previous owner of this orrery.

The object comes in a fitted pine box with hinged door and brass lock and key. Key is still present but the lock is coming away from the door due to lack of two of the four screws holding it in place. Box has remnants of several shipping (?) labels pasted onto outside.

Condition: good and complete.

References

Events