Description

A signed Delamarche Ptolemaic Armillary Sphere. The Delamarche family and successors were the most renowned and prolific producer of armillary spheres in France from the late 18th century to the late 19th century.

The signature on the globe of the Armarilly sphere states:

Globe Terrestre
A Paris
chez Delamarche eg
rue du froin Jacques
u colège de
M.e Cervais

The Rymer Collection has a worldmap (Ryh 1102 : 52): with a similar inscription:

A Paris :
chez le Sr. Delamarche géog. rue du Foin
St. Jacques au collége de m.tre Gervais.

This world map was made according to the news and drawn up according to the new relations and subject to astronomical observations by S. Robert de Vaugondy geog. ord. of the king, the late king of Lorraine and Bar, of the Royal Academy of Sciences and of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Belles Lettres of Nancy, and Royal Censor. The findings were made in 1778 and the map was published after 1784.

Demonstrational armillary spheres were commonly produced in France in the 18th and 19th centuries to show various basic principles of astronomy. An armillary sphere with the earth at the center is known as Ptolemaic, and an armillary sphere with the sun at the centre is known as Copernican. Ptolemy (2nd Century A.D), an Alexandrian astronomer believed that the earth was at the center of the universe. Ptolemaic armillary spheres were produced in Islamist countries, reaching advanced levels as early as the 10th century. Measurements: 58 cm high with a 33 cm diameter.

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