Lot 126: A TRIO OF SAFAVID ENGRAVED BRASS ASTROLABE PLATES, PERSIA, CIRCA 1660

Three circular engraved brass astrolabe plates, known as tympans, each mounted on a modern dark-finished metal display stand. These plates were originally designed as interchangeable components for a planispheric astrolabe, a historical instrument used for astronomical calculations and timekeeping. Each plate features a stereographic projection of the celestial sphere for a specific geographic latitude, including altitude circles known as almucantars, azimuth lines, and curved lines for unequal hours. The inscriptions are finely engraved in Arabic script using the Abjad numeral system. One plate is inscribed with text reading عرضه لب ساعاته يدح, representing Latitude 32 degrees with a longest day of 14 hours and 8 minutes. Another plate is engraved with عرضه م ساعاته يد ي, for Latitude 40 degrees and a longest day of 14 hours and 10 minutes. The third plate features the inscription عرضه لز ساعاته يد نا, for Latitude 37 degrees and a longest day of 14 hours and 51 minutes. The horizontal axes are marked with the terms al-Mashriq for East and al-Maghrib for West. Each disc includes a locating notch at the 6 o’clock position intended to secure it within the mother or mater of the original astrolabe housing. 

Diameter: 11cm each