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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Clock type · Specialist

Orrery Clocks

Partially verified

Clocks specifically featuring an orrery—a mechanical model showing the positions and motions of planets and moons.

Movement & mechanism

  • Similar to a planetarium but often more focused on the Earth-Moon-Sun relationship
  • Driven by a clock movement or a manual crank
  • Used for educational and demonstration purposes

Identification

  • Mechanical model of the Earth and Moon orbiting the Sun
  • Usually at the top of a clock case or as a standalone instrument
  • Engraved rings showing zodiacal and calendrical data

Terminology

  • Orrery
  • Tellurium
  • Solar system model

Known variations

  • Manual and clock-driven versions

Collecting notes

Condition and originality are paramount. For technical clocks like regulators or atmospheric clocks, the completeness of the original mechanism is more important than case condition. For decorative clocks (Boulle, Empire), the quality of the case craft is central.

Related photographs

The Prague Astronomical Clock in Old Town - 8559
The Prague Astronomical Clock in Old Town - 8559 — Jorge Royan, CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia Commons file page
Czech-2013-Prague-Astronomical clock face
Czech-2013-Prague-Astronomical clock face — Godot13, CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikimedia Commons file page

No confidently matched photograph of this subject has been found yet. These photographs show a closely related record, and are not examples of the type described on this page.

Sources & references

  1. Britten, F. J., Old Clocks and Watches and Their Makers
  2. Loomes, B., The Early Clockmakers of Great Britain
  3. Roberts, D., British Skeleton Clocks
  4. Museum catalogue records

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.