Sunday 13 March 2016

Tripos (three possible answers) ~ examine with care

Please specify the proper usages and names of the following three objects

1.
Compare the arms on the right with the arms below of Sir Charles Brandon; the royal arms on the left belonged to his third wife Princess Mary Tudor sister of Henry VIII


Portrait of the Sir Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Norfolk, attributed to Jan Gossaert - Scanned from Hayward, Maria: Dress at the Court of King Henry VIII, Maney Publishing, 2007, ISBN 1905981414, Public Domain,
2.

3.

10 comments:

  1. No 3 is a Nocturnal, an instrument used to determine the local time based on the relative positions of two or more stars in the night sky.
    Italian, prob 17th Century.

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    1. Another excellent answer of the highest degree Rog. This is one of the few things that tempt me to covetousness, such a luminous achievement of Art, Craft and Science effected with simplicity and clarity.

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  2. No 2 is a pomander, from the French "pomme d'ambre" an "apple of amber". A ball made of to contain perfumes. This example is possibly Tudor.

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    1. Top marks again Rog, a Tudor item, gilt brass or bronze, also referred to as a 'musk-ball'.

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  3. 1. was a Norfolk find if it helps.

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  4. Ah, yes! A silver Vervel attached to the leg of a bird of prey to identify it's owner, in this case Henry VIII's brother-in-law Charles Brandon. Dated to very near 1500.

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  5. Do I get this week's prize?

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  6. You most certainly do Rog. Congratulations, your prize is Sunday, use it wisely, it will only last 24 hours, but it may bring you lasting joy if you spend it as you will. ~(;¬o)>
    Prize not transferable but you may apply the rules to other days you have at your disposal.

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  7. Is number three a form of astrolabe? French, and circa late 16th Century ?

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    Replies
    1. It is a device of similar ilk, Mike, called a nocturnal: see Rog's first comment.

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