£1,000 - £1,500
Islamic Paper Astrolabe with Seven Discs, Dated 1010 AH, Islamic Eastern
A rare, small Islamic paper-on-board astrolabe, entirely handwritten and comprising seven interchangeable discs (tympans) with a rete and mater, dated 1010 AH. Each disc is laid out with altitude and azimuth lines for different latitudes, allowing the instrument to be used across multiple cities; degree scales are marked 0–360 with hour divisions, and inscriptions appear in Arabic (likely naskh) in a clear scholarly hand.
Paper astrolabes of this period were practical teaching and travel instruments—lightweight yet fully functional—used to find the time by the sun or stars, determine qibla, and solve standard astronomical problems. Surviving examples with multiple original discs are uncommon; the present piece shows careful design and scientific accuracy consistent with learned craftsmanship of the late 16th/early 17th century in the Islamic world.
Date: 1010 AH
Components: mater, rete, 7 tympans (latitude plates)
Script: Arabic, likely naskh
Materials: ink on paper mounted to board (paper astrolabe)
Use: timekeeping by sun/stars, qibla finding, astronomical calculations
Significance: rare survival with full set of multiple latitude discs, educational and portable instrument.
(Came from London deceased estate collection)
Disc Size : 64 mm
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