17th Century Brass Astrolabe from Jaipur to be Auctioned
A remarkable brass astrolabe, a hand-held astronomical computer dating back to the 17th Century and formerly part of the royal collection of Jaipur city in western India, is set to be auctioned at Sotheby's in London on 29 April.
Benedict Carter, head of the department of Islamic and Indian Art at Sotheby's, described the object as "perhaps the largest in existence" and noted that it has never been exhibited before.
Known to have belonged to Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur, the astrolabe was inherited by his wife Maharani Gayatri Devi, a prominent and glamorous figure of her era, following his death. It subsequently entered a private collection during her lifetime.
Astrolabes are metallic disks composed of multi-layered, interlocking components historically used to tell time, chart the stars, determine the direction of Mecca, and track celestial movements.
"They are essentially a two-dimensional projection of a three-dimensional universe. I compare them to modern-day smartphones because you can do so many things with them,"
explained Dr Federica Gigante of the Oxford Centre for History of Science, Medicine and Technology.
"You can calculate the time of sunset, sunrise, the height of a building, the depth of a well, distance and even use them to predict the future. Along with an almanac they were once used to cast horoscopes."
Astrolabes originated in ancient Greece in the 2nd Century BCE and were introduced to the Islamic world by the 8th Century. Over the centuries, production centers flourished in regions including Iraq, Iran, North Africa, and al-Andalus (modern-day Spain).
Creation and Historical Context of the Astrolabe
This particular astrolabe was crafted in the early 17th Century in Lahore, now part of Pakistan, during a period when the city was a prominent center for astrolabe manufacturing within the Mughal Empire. It was created by two brothers, Qa'im Muhammad and Muhammad Muqim, for a Mughal nobleman.
The brothers belonged to the "Lahore School," a distinguished center of astrolabe production renowned for its craftsmanship. The knowledge and skill of astrolabe making were traditionally preserved within a single family and transmitted across generations.
Only two astrolabes are known to have been jointly produced by these brothers; the other, smaller in size, is housed in a museum in Iraq.
The astrolabe was commissioned by Aqa Afzal, a nobleman responsible for administering Lahore during this era. Originally from Isfahan in Iran, Aqa Afzal held several senior positions under Mughal emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan. The instrument's grand size and lavish design reflect the high status of its patron.
"It weighs 8.2kg, measures nearly 30cm in diameter and stands about 46cm tall - almost four times the size of a typical astrolabe from 17th Century India," Carter said.
"It also has a striking cross-cultural element. The star pointers carry their standard names in Persian, alongside Sanskrit equivalents etched in the Devanagari script."
Sotheby's reports that the astrolabe contains inscriptions of 94 cities, each marked with their respective longitudes and latitudes, and features 38 star pointers connected by intricate floral tracery. It also includes five precision-calibrated plates and degree divisions subdivided to a third of a degree.
This exceptional level of detail exemplifies the extraordinary craftsmanship of the Lahore School, which, at the time, was at its peak. Carter noted that this convergence of technical precision, functionality, and artistic beauty distinguished it from earlier astrolabes produced in parts of the Middle East, which were often primarily functional.
The astrolabe also reflects the broader scientific interests of the Mughal court, where rulers and courtiers demonstrated a keen engagement with advances in astronomy and astrology.
"It is not only big, beautiful and heavy, it is so incredibly accurate that it will give you the exact degree of altitude [of a celestial body],"
said Gigante.
She added that the only comparable instrument is likely one made for Abbas II of Persia.
Provenance, Auction Details, and Significance
The astrolabe's pristine condition and royal provenance are expected to generate significant interest from museums and collectors. Sotheby's has estimated its auction value between £1.5 million and £2.5 million.
The current auction record for an astrolabe is held by an Ottoman piece made for Sultan Bayezid II, a smaller instrument sold in 2014 for just under £1 million.
The astrolabe will be exhibited at Sotheby's London galleries from 24 to 29 April.
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