Astrolabes / Exhibition / Possession
Possession
Astrolabes have often been prized by their owners as conspicuous marks of learning, affluence or position in society. While they were used by astronomers and astrologers, they are also recorded among the possessions of priests and princes. They could be commissioned by and customised for individuals, or given as gifts to patrons. Their status as desirable possessions has survived to the present: their ingenuity and beauty make them exceptionally attractive to collectors today.Oxford owners |