Accession No
0785
Brief Description
Copernican armillary sphere, by Richard Glynne, English, 1725 (c)
Origin
England; London; opposite Salisbury Court; Atlas & Hercules
Maker
Glynne, Richard
Class
astronomy; demonstration
Earliest Date
1725
Latest Date
1725
Inscription Date
Material
metal (brass, silver, steel); glass
Dimensions
220mm (diameter); 260mm (height)
Special Collection
Robert Whipple collection
Provenance
Purchased from Percy Webster, London, England, on 17/06/1935.
Inscription
‘R. Glynne Fecit’ (compass rose)
Description Notes
Copernican armillary sphere, by Richard Glynne, English, c. 1725.
Brass meridian circle divided 90˚ - 0 - 90˚, 0 - 90˚ - 0, numbered by 10˚ subdivided to 1˚. Silver hour circle divided I - XII, I - XII, numbered by I, subdivided to 15 minutes. Polar axis for equinoctial (‘Colorus Æquinoctiovum’) and solstitial (‘Colorus Solstitiorum’) colures both graduated 90˚ - 0 - 90˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚ from poles. Arctic circle. [tropic of Cancer missing]. Equator marked ‘Circulus Æquinoctialis’ and divided 0 - 360˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚. Tropic of Capricorn marked ‘Tropicus Capricorni’. Antarctic Circle marked ‘Circulus Antarcticus’. Silver ecliptic (‘Linea Ecliptica’) divided 0 - 30˚ for each sign, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚, with calendar and zodiac names and signs. 3 rotating rings for Mars, Jupiter and Saturn suspended on framework hemispheres from ecliptic pole. Symbolic representations of the planets. Platform in centre of spheres in plane of the ecliptic with sun on central pillar with two rotating rings for Venus and Mercury. Engraved sun image on brass sphere representing sun. Brass earth on second pillar engraved with world map. Rotating ring for moon on hemispherical framework. Brass handle on plate opposite Earth.
Whole rests in slots in brass horizon circle divided 0 - 30˚ for each sign, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚ and with zodiac names, calendar graduated to 1 day; 32 compass points and winds. On four brass scroll feet with compass between. Glazed bowl. Engraved 32 point silver rose divided 0 - 90 - 0 - 90 - 0, numbered by 10˚ and 0 - 360˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚. Fleur de lys marks North. Blued steel needle (off its pin).
Incomplete.
References
Events
Description
Armillary spheres are representations of the heavens. This fine example, made from brass, silver and steel, shows the Sun-centred ‘Copernican’ system. Nicholas Copernicas proposed, in 1543, that the Earth was not in fact at the centre of the universe, but instead orbited the Sun.
Over the next 200 years or so, Copernicus’ system became widely accepted. But even as late as the eighteenth century, when this instrument was made, armillary spheres were sold in pairs, showing both Copernicus’ and the preceding notion of the universe. This armillary sphere models the universe according to Copernican theory. It was made by Richard Glynne (1681–1755), who apprenticed to the instrument maker Henry Wynne in 1696. In 1705, Glynne became free and opened a workshop in Cheapside in 1712. He continued to work as an instrument-maker until he retired in 1730.
08/07/2014
Created by: Edited by Allison Ksiazkiewicz on 08/07/2014
FM:39717
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