Name/Title
Planetarium,with Lunarium& TellurianEntry/Object ID
2013.3.62Description
These came to the College through the Philip Fall Purchase, and originally cost $210 when purchased from the famous London firm of W. & S. Jones.
It should be noted that there are but seven planets shown and that Jupiter has but four moons. A good description of these three instruments is given by George Dams (Philosophy, Vol. IV, Phila., 1807). Some indication of their age is revealed by the inscription on the small globe of the tellurian which read, "Published by J.W. Carey, Strand, Apr. 1, 1791."
In Vol. XXVI of Rees' Cyclopedia under "Orrery" is a description of Mr. Benjamin Martin's Orrery or Microcosm -- "but though the microcosm was, perhaps, never constructed as an appendage of a clock, yet it laid the foundation of our more modern planetaria, tellurans, and lunaria, which constitute the orrery in three parts, as constructed by the workmen of Messrs. Adams, Jones, etc."
These particular instruments are listed in the 1829 catalogue of W. & S. Jones at 37 16 0. One figure (54) shows planets in place as a planetarium. The other figure (55) shows the planets removed and the tellurian in place. The lunarium can also be placed on the central axis, as illustrated on the title page.
An account of an earlier version (without the tripod support) of this planetarium can be found in William Jones (The Description and use of a new Portable Orrery, etc., London, 1794). An appendix lists optical, mathematical, and philosophical instruments made and sold by W. & S. Jones, at their shop, No. 1355, next Furnival's Inn, Holborn.Collection
Moosnick Museum - Scientific Apparatus
