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History of Science Museum

Orrery, by Thomas Wright, London, c. 1731

Inventory Number 35757


Acknowledgement: © History of Science Museum, University of Oxford, inv.35757

Item type
Object
Provenance
Lent by Christ Church, Oxford in 1925. Thought to have been owned by the 4th Earl of Orrery and bequeathed to Dr Robert Friend, master of Westminster School and later Canon of Christ Church.
Primary inscriptions
"Made by THO WRIGHT (Mathematical Instrumt. maker to His MAJESTY GEORGE ye. IId.) in Fleet street LONDON" The globe of the Earth is inscribed, "A New / GLOBE / of the Earth / by R. Cushee / 1731"
Object type
Orrery
Inventory No
35757
Accession Number
1925-43

Description

Brass, painted brass, etc. in an inlaid mahogany case; the gores of the globe of the Earth were printed from an engraved plate, pasted on the core of the globe and coloured by hand.

The instrument is hand-driven, and reproduces the diurnal and annual movements of the Earth, and the movements of the Moon, Mercury and Venus in their orbits.