Epact Scientific Instruments of Medieval and Renaissance Europe

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Quadrant
Attributed to Giovanni Battista Giusti
16th century; Florence
Brass; 170 x 170 mm

This quadrant, divided into 90?, is engraved on a square which has inscriptions on its sides indicating the cardinal points. The surface of the quadrant is traversed by lines from its vertex. A modelled alidade, carrying a compass complete with its glass and magnetic needle, is pivoted at the vertex. The inscriptions are in Italian. The back of the instrument bears no inscriptions.

This type of quadrant could be used as a declinatory, to trace vertical sundials. The instrument is unsigned, but the characteristics of construction and the types of engravings allow it to be attributed to Giovanni Battista Giusti.

Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza, Firenze
Inventory no. 3822

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