IMPORTANT & EXTREMELY RARE SAFAVID BRASS ASTROLABE IN HEBREW & PERSIAN, DATED AH 1116 hijiri = 1737 AD. Probably made by jews or for jewish community in persia. The brass mater with arabesque throne with upper trilobed palmette and suspension shackle, the obverse engraved with the date 1116 and with a dedication inscription in nasta'liq, the rim graduated [0-360° ]. with four plates engraved in Arabic, Persian & Hebrew on both sides each bearing stereographic projections for various latitudes each engraved with inscriptions in naskh and panels of elegant split palmettes, altitude circles every 6° and azimuth arcs every 10°, the reverse of one bearing a table of horizons, the rete with 19 named star pointers, the reverse of the mater with shadow square and projection forequal hours and a planetary table, the alidade with two holed sighting vanes and cusped cartouches containing scrolling vine issuing split palmettes at either end, the edge with long inscription cartouches with the name of the patron alternated with small quatrefoil cartouches containing flowers and split palmettes, the bird and pin possibly later, with suspension loop at top. A VERY REMARKABLEPIECE. Measurement: 15 cm dia, each disc around 8-9 cm.

Extremely Fine Quality