armillary sphere

Anonymous, Heliocentric armillary sphere of the Copernican system "which holds that the Earth moves and the Sun is fixed at the centre of the world", c. 1725, Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France © Bibliothèque nationale de France Abu Dhabi, UAE - Globes: Visions of the World curated by Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) will open to the public on 23 March and run until 2 June 2018. Louvre Abu Dhabi’s second special exhibition will explore the history of the spherical representation of the world and its scientific... [Lire la suite]

A rare white jade armillary three-ring disc. Qing dynasty, Qianlong period. Photo Sotheby's deftly carved from a single piece of jade with three interlinked movable rings mounted like a gyroscope with each ring moving on a separate axis, the innermost ring decorated on each side in low relief with the constellation of seven stars of the Big Dipper, opposite to the moon, all surrounded by swirling clouds, the middle ring similarly carved with stylised archaistic dragons, encircled by the outermost ring with rocks rising from... [Lire la suite]

A very rare and important first half of the 17th Century continental gilt brass automata table clock. Photo: Bonhams LONDON.- An early 17th century gilt brass automata lion clock, which moves its eyes in time with the seconds and roars a chime every hour, sold for £117,600 at Bonhams, New Bond Street as part of its Fine Clocks and Barometers sale on Wednesday 14 July. The sale made an impressive £716,000 in total with a 74% sale rate by value. Made in France, the clock which had been estimated to sell for £70,000 to £100,000,... [Lire la suite]