BARDIN, William and Thomas]. A Planetarium-Orrery . Unsigned on makers plate, late 18th Century. A metal and brass planetarium-orrery, base plate diameter 17½ inches (44cm.), overall height 31½ inches (80cm.). The Horixzontal plate painted deep sky blue, axis with 1¾ inch diameter lacquered brass sunball, the upper part finely engraved with the face of the sun, the surface engraved with representations of sun spots, the 'spots' enamelled in black, the sunball mounted with geared mechanism and two inner planetary arms over silvered dials for Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune , each engraved name with the symbol and measurement for planetary distance. Separate tellurium arrangement with moon, geared minature terrestrial globe and mantel, the 1½ inch miniature globe signed Bardin, London , and mounted on the axis from a geared drive with a silvered zodiac calendar circle and moon-phase ring. To each side are supplementary dials for Sideral Time or right Ascension and moon-phase, each with graduated circles and pointers. At the opposite side to the tellurium is a spirit-fired lamp, the pierced globe-chimney with inset magnifying lens and multifaceted internal mirror. The horizontal plate enclosed by a raised silvered horizontal circle with zodiac and calendar scales on supported on 12 balluster turned brass suppots, with scroll needle pointer rising from the rotating horizontal plate. The complex geared mechanism operated by an ivory mounted winding handle with vertical sliding lock for the main gear drive to the horizontal plate, the mechanism enclosed within an ebonised oak and mahogany polygonal cabinet diameter 21½ inches (55cm.), the cabinet mounted on an early 19th century table stand, central turned column with three downswept legs to padded feet. (Minor abrasions to horizontal plate). AN UNRECORDED EXAMPLE of a planetarium-orrery attributed to the William Bardin. The attribution based on the signed terrestrial globe. Another unusual smaller crank driven orrery with a terrestrial globe by Bardin is in the National Matritime Museum, Greenwich; the Science Museum in London have a Bardin Mercury/Venus/Earth-Moon orrery, but this magnificent instrument in the 'grand orrey' style is certainly the most adventurous example of their work yet recorded. Of the Bardins themselves relatively little is known, William Bardin (1740-98) operated from Salisbury Square, Fleet St., and was later joined by his son Thomas (1767-1819). It may well be that their instruments were constructed for them. The orrery was probably constructed inthe last decade of the 18th century.
BARDIN, William and Thomas]. A Planetarium-Orrery . Unsigned on makers plate, late 18th Century. A metal and brass planetarium-orrery, base plate diameter 17½ inches (44cm.), overall height 31½ inches (80cm.). The Horixzontal plate painted deep sky blue, axis with 1¾ inch diameter lacquered brass sunball, the upper part finely engraved with the face of the sun, the surface engraved with representations of sun spots, the 'spots' enamelled in black, the sunball mounted with geared mechanism and two inner planetary arms over silvered dials for Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune , each engraved name with the symbol and measurement for planetary distance. Separate tellurium arrangement with moon, geared minature terrestrial globe and mantel, the 1½ inch miniature globe signed Bardin, London , and mounted on the axis from a geared drive with a silvered zodiac calendar circle and moon-phase ring. To each side are supplementary dials for Sideral Time or right Ascension and moon-phase, each with graduated circles and pointers. At the opposite side to the tellurium is a spirit-fired lamp, the pierced globe-chimney with inset magnifying lens and multifaceted internal mirror. The horizontal plate enclosed by a raised silvered horizontal circle with zodiac and calendar scales on supported on 12 balluster turned brass suppots, with scroll needle pointer rising from the rotating horizontal plate. The complex geared mechanism operated by an ivory mounted winding handle with vertical sliding lock for the main gear drive to the horizontal plate, the mechanism enclosed within an ebonised oak and mahogany polygonal cabinet diameter 21½ inches (55cm.), the cabinet mounted on an early 19th century table stand, central turned column with three downswept legs to padded feet. (Minor abrasions to horizontal plate). AN UNRECORDED EXAMPLE of a planetarium-orrery attributed to the William Bardin. The attribution based on the signed terrestrial globe. Another unusual smaller crank driven orrery with a terrestrial globe by Bardin is in the National Matritime Museum, Greenwich; the Science Museum in London have a Bardin Mercury/Venus/Earth-Moon orrery, but this magnificent instrument in the 'grand orrey' style is certainly the most adventurous example of their work yet recorded. Of the Bardins themselves relatively little is known, William Bardin (1740-98) operated from Salisbury Square, Fleet St., and was later joined by his son Thomas (1767-1819). It may well be that their instruments were constructed for them. The orrery was probably constructed inthe last decade of the 18th century.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
