Armillary sphere

Small decorative brass armillary Sphere, supported on shoulders of a bronze figure of Atlas mounted on a ebonized wooden plinth. The horizon ring and supporting stand is a later 19th century addition, probably French, while the rest appears to be part of an original 17th century armillary sphere.

This European brass armillary sphere was made in the seventeenth century, but has been mounted on a later nineteenth century base with horizon ring. The decorative stand, probably French, consists of a figure of the ancient Greek figure of Atlas. The armillary sphere is a demonstration device to explain the movements of the Sun, Moon, stars and planets across the sky. Its interlocking rings can be used to teach astronomical principles in same manner as a celestial globe or act as a model the universe. Based on the premise of an Earth centred universe, the armillary sphere was modified in the seventeenth century to teach the theory that the Earth orbits the Sun.