Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Volume 1: Their History and Construction Including a Consideration of their Value as Aids in the Study of Geography and AstronomyStevenson, Edward Luther
History
Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Volume 1: Their History and Construction Including a Consideration of their Value as Aids in the Study of Geography and Astronomy
Stevenson, Edward Luther
Geography -- History; Globes
Of the celestial globes constructed by George Roll and Joannes Reinhold
three examples are known.[352] One of these may be found in the
collection of the Mathematical Salon of Dresden (Fig. 74) one in the
Osservatorio di Capodimonte of Naples and one in the K. K. Hofbibliothek
in Vienna. The Roll and Reinhold globe of the Dresden collection,
bearing the inscription “Georg Roll et Joannes Reinhold elaborabant
Augustae 1586,” is an exceedingly interesting instrument, unique in the
manner of its construction and remarkably well preserved. It is of
brass, having a diameter of 36 cm., and is furnished with numerous
movable circles, a large meridian circle surmounted with an armillary
sphere, and a brass horizon circle on which are marked the old and the
new calendars, the names of the twelve months and of the important holy
days. The globe base, very artistically wrought, rests upon four
griffin’s feet, between which a small terrestrial globe 10 cm. in
diameter has been placed, this having been furnished with its own
independent support. The large celestial sphere is furnished with a
clocklike mechanism by means of which it is made to revolve in
representation of the diurnal motion of the heavens. According to
existing records it was purchased in the year 1593 by order of the
Elector Christian II, and by him was presented to the Academy of Arts of
Dresden. Zeiller tells us that this and the Heyden globe were those
“with which the Prince Elector Augustus was accustomed to amuse
himself.”
[Illustration: Fig. 74. Globe of George Roll and Johannes Reinhold,
1586.]
It has not been possible to obtain a description of the Vienna globe. It
appears that it was constructed in the year 1588, and that, like the
Dresden example, the celestial sphere is made to revolve by means of
clockwork.
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