Salter's Improved Parkes & Hadley's Orrery

Catalogue number #991250149

Salter's Improved Parkes & Hadley's Orrery	Salter's Improved Orrery in box	Salter's Improved Orrery base and parts	Salter's Improved Orrery table top	Earth Globe with season pins and instructions	Instruction book Illustrations Index and Contents	Instruction Booklet sample page	Instruction Booklet sample page

Description:

Salter's Improved Orrery: Parkes & Hadley's patent. Designed initially as a teaching aid in about 1890 the earliest versions of this orrery just demonstrated the Sun, Moon and Earth orbits. Over the years other features were added and this example is the ultimate development of this kit with all the 'extras' to demonstrate most of the different features of the Sun, Moon and Earth interactions. The features demonstrated by this model and attachments include tides, solar and lunar eclipses, sunrise, sunset and noon etc. the full list is given on the 'Contents' page illustrated here. Also illustrated are a few of the other sample pages from the original instruction booklet - 30 pages. The base of this orrery is cast in brass - cheaper models were cast iron - all the gearing works perfectly. All other examples I have seen over the years have been illuminated by a candle or a spirit lamp but this example is lit electrically by a torch bulb. This is not a substitution for a lost part but is unquestionably original to this model as the bulb holder matches precisely the cast brass manufacture and finish of the rest of the piece and fits accurately inside an annular ring which locates it centrally on the plate. The electrical connections in the centre of the plate and on the side of the base are also without doubt part of the original manufacture. The complete kit is contained in a pine fitted box which may or may not be contemporary. Orrery table diameter 9.75" (24.5 cm) box 21" (53 cm) x 11" (28 cm) x 10.5" (26.5 cm) high.

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