tellurian with Venus
Date: 1950-1960
Inventory Number: 2006-1-0068
Classification: Tellurian
Subject:
Maker: Trippensee Planetarium Company (1905 - 1999)
Maker: George F. Cram Company, Inc. (founded 1867)
Cultural Region:
Place of Origin:
Dimensions:
wthout base: 37.2 × 70.5 × 30.1 cm (14 5/8 × 27 3/4 × 11 7/8 in.)
DescriptionThis geared planetarium is made of plastic, metal, and wood. It shows the sun, earth, moon, and Venus (and is therefore more appropriately called a tellurian).
The sun is a yellow plastic sphere (14.4 cm in diameter) mounted on a turned black pillar set into a circular plastic base. Venus is represented by a wood sphere painted black and white that is mounted on a bent metal arm, which can be pushed around the sun. Below the Venus arm, there is a long brown plastic arm that carries the earth and moon. Gears and bicycle-type chains make the earth turn on its axis, the moon go around the earth, and Venus to go around the sun when the plastic arm is pushed around the sun by means of a handle.
The earth is a wood globe of 7.7 cm diameter. It has printed gores with the principal circles and land masses. Major cities are marked. The moon is wood sphere painted black and white.
There is a magnetic compass set into the plastic arm.
The base of the planetarium has a metal plate marked with the seasons, signs of the zodiac, and months.
The base is fixed to a plank of wood, which is not original to the planetarium. The plank has 4 rubber feet.
The sun is a yellow plastic sphere (14.4 cm in diameter) mounted on a turned black pillar set into a circular plastic base. Venus is represented by a wood sphere painted black and white that is mounted on a bent metal arm, which can be pushed around the sun. Below the Venus arm, there is a long brown plastic arm that carries the earth and moon. Gears and bicycle-type chains make the earth turn on its axis, the moon go around the earth, and Venus to go around the sun when the plastic arm is pushed around the sun by means of a handle.
The earth is a wood globe of 7.7 cm diameter. It has printed gores with the principal circles and land masses. Major cities are marked. The moon is wood sphere painted black and white.
There is a magnetic compass set into the plastic arm.
The base of the planetarium has a metal plate marked with the seasons, signs of the zodiac, and months.
The base is fixed to a plank of wood, which is not original to the planetarium. The plank has 4 rubber feet.
In Collection(s)
Signedcast in plastic arm of tellurian: TRIPPENSEE / PLANETARIUM CO. / SAGINAW, MICH.
on globe cartouche: Trippensee / Planetarium Co. / Saginaw, W. S. / Mich.
below cartouche: The George F. Cram Co., Inc. / Indianapolis 7, Ind.
on globe cartouche: Trippensee / Planetarium Co. / Saginaw, W. S. / Mich.
below cartouche: The George F. Cram Co., Inc. / Indianapolis 7, Ind.
FunctionFor the demonstration of solar and lunar eclipses, the reason for the seasons, and the phases of Venus.