Brass and wood planetary model

This miniature planetary model illustrates the movement of the Earth and Moon around the Sun. The first mechanisms of this kind, known as telluriums or orreries, were created in the 18th century to demonstrate the laws of gravitation and visualize celestial cycles. Long before computers, they revealed the choreography of our solar system through the simple motion of a hand crank: The moon revolves around the earth, which itself revolves around the sun.
Made of patinated brass and blackened wood, this piece combines scientific precision with decorative refinement. Its octagonal base recalls the study instruments once found in cabinets de curiosités and observatories of the Enlightenment.
A real mechanical curiosity