Circa 19th century AD A bronze astrolabe of eastern Arabic workmanship with an elaborate openwork movable upper plate decorated with scrolled foliage, calligraphic script and numerical markings; the securing pin formed as a stylized bird-head with attached chain; the lower movable plate inscribed with geometric calibration lines; the base plate with central recess and inscribed border, D-shaped extension and suspension ring; the reverse inscribed in quarters, one with a grid filled with asterisks, one with concentric arcs, the lower two with foliate designs and calligraphic panels. Bronze, 3.4 kg, 33 cm (13") UK art and antiquities market, acquired prior to 1990.

Very fine condition.