Piero Fornasetti Astrolabe Plate, Early 1970s

Piero Fornasetti.

Vintage Piero Fornasetti Astrolabe Large Plate, # 12 in Astrolabio Series.

Early 1970s.

Porcelain.

The large Piero Fornasetti plate depicts an astrolabe, it is number 12 of 12 in series. A ribbon above reads Ad Habendum Horam Ineqvalem Et Qvatvor Angvlos Celi In Die. The ribbon and astrolabe on a brilliant gilt ground.

Mark: Astrolabio in a banner over a green porcelain undermark above Fornasetti hand and brush, Number 12 and Mark a script 3 in gold.

ASTROLABE

An astrolabe (Greek: astrolabon, "star-taker") is an elaborate inclinometer, historically used by astronomers, navigators, and astrologers.

Its many uses include locating and predicting the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars, determining local time given local latitude and vice-versa, surveying, triangulation, and to cast horoscopes.

It was used in classical antiquity, through the Islamic Golden Age, the European Middle Ages, and Renaissance for all these purposes. In the Islamic world, it was also used to calculate the Qibla and to find the times for Salah, prayers.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrolabe).

Reference: See a similar Astroglobe plate in the Victoria & Albert Museum's Collection, Museum # C.63-1985.

(http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O170005/plate-fornasetti-piero/).

Dimensions

Price on application

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Stock number