Live Auction 4826Travel, Science and Natural History
A GERMAN ORRERY
Lot 95

A GERMAN ORRERY

ERNST SCHOTTE, CIRCA 1892

Closed25 April 2012

Price Realised

GBP 18,750

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A GERMAN ORRERY
Ernst Schotte, circa 1892
signed on the dial ERNST SCHOTTE & Co. BERLIN, W Geographisch-artistische Anstalt. Entworfen u. gezeichnet von. H. Albrecht., the geared mechanism working and crank handle actuating all the planetary arms, the nine arms supporting: Mercury; Venus; painted Earth and Moon; Mars with two satellites; eight asteroids; Jupiter with five satellites; Saturn with two rings and eight satellites; Uranus with four satellites and Neptune with one. The graduated paper horizon dial in white yellow and blue with calendrical and zodiacal scales with another inner calendrical dial with index pointer; on a cast bronze column and plinth of geometric and floral design.
41in. (104cm.) maximum diamter

Specialist note

A prolific manufacturer of globes and planetaria of various sizes and forms, Ernst Schotte & Co. were one of the major names in late nineteenth century German globe-making. Their orreries designed for didactic use have also an elegant appearance. This very rare model by Schotte is known in another example sold Christie's Los Angeles, 24 Oct 2001 lot 127 $35,250. Their orreries are rarely found in such good working condition.

The number of satellites on each planet can help us date this orrery quite narrowly: Amalthea (Jupiter V) was discovered in 1892, and Phoebe (Saturn IX) in 1899.