A 17th Century 'supercomputer' once owned by Indian royalty sells for record in auction
A 17th-century brass astrolabe, once owned by Indian royalty and regarded as one of the largest in existence, has been sold at a Sotheby's auction in London for over £2 million, setting a record for an Islamic astronomical instrument. The intricately crafted device, made in Lahore by the renowned 'Lahore School,' features both Persian and Sanskrit inscriptions and reflects the high level of scientific and artistic achievement in the Mughal era. Previously part of the royal collection of Jaipur's Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II and later his wife Maharani Gayatri Devi, the astrolabe had been in a private collection for decades before the auction.
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A 17th Century 'supercomputer' once owned by Indian royalty sells for record in auction5 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleNikhil InamdarCourtesy Sotheby'sThe astrolabe, which was in a private collection for years, will be auctioned at Sotheby's in LondonA spectacular brass astrolabe - or a hand-held astronomical computer - from the 17th Century, once part of the royal collection of Jaipur city in western India, has been sold for more than £2m ($2.75m) at an auction in London.This has set a record for the auction of an astronomical instrument from the Islamic world, a representative from Sotheby's, which held the auction, told the BBC.
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