An examination of two groups of Georg Hartmann sixteenth-century astrolabes and the tables used in their manufacture

Summary

Examples of two groups of astrolabes manufactured by Georg Hartmann (1489–1564) were examined for design and manufacturing accuracy. Study of the instruments indicates that Hartmann was a precision manufacturer and early user of workshop production techniques. Hartmann's instruments and written instructions were directly influenced by the writing of Johann Stöffler (1452–1531), and the astrolabes and work of Regiomontanus (1436–76).