LUKE HONEY'S
I’ve long been fascinated by the niglit sky. A telescope’s a 'tempting prospect but, here in central London with its Considerable light pollution. I’m not sure that I would get to see that much. While I enjoy playing around with astronomy apps on nay iPhone, I’m also intrigued by astronomical instruments from antiquity.
Astrolabeswere complicated and often beautiful pieces of astronomical (and astrological) equipment’ used to show the positionunsurprisingly, the rarer examples can fetch commanding prices at auction: a magnificent 16th-century gilt-brass astrolabe by Christoff Schissler of Augsburg fetched £l46,500 at Bonhams in 20l5. Meanwhile, a 'fine 18th/19th-Cefltury Islamic Astrolabe’ sold for €6,500 at Auction Team Breker of Cologne in May 2023.
