Nautical

Find in our nautical section a vast assortment of antique navigation instruments such as astrolabe, compass and dyptich.

Discover a wide choice of ship in a bottle and other nautical products.

  • Handmade Astrolabe offered by our team at Dracolite. Handcrafted by skilled Spain artisans.

    Ideal for :

    * Larp or other event * Renaissance Decoration * Holidays and birthdays gift Miniature of classic European astrolabe. Set for 41º lat. Scale significantly reduced (very complex instrument in this size could be used to learned its parts and basis of use. A real expert could play more).  Astrolabes date from the time of Ptolemy and the name in Greek means "Star Searcher." It is a tool for astronomers, astrologers, and surveyors widely used until the 17th century. This beautifully crafted instrument of brass with companion wood base will delight and intrigue. The wooden base is ideal for placement of a Corporate Logo in recognition of achievement or an event. Contact us for detail.
  • Handmade Nocturnal and Tide Computer offered by our team at Dracolite. Handcrafted by skilled Spain artisans.

    Ideal for :

    * Larp or other event * Renaissance Decoration * Holidays and birthdays gift This is a replica of a Nocturnal and Tide Computer from 1570 signed by Humphrey Cole. Cole was the first maker of English instruments having learned the craft from Flemish immigrants in the final years of the Tudor dynasty. The original can be found in the British Museum, London. Legend has it that the Nocturnal Astrolabe was invented by Raimund Lill to administer doses of medicine to patients during the night. The Nocturnal is a star clock used to obtain the time at night using fixed stars in the sky. The Tide Computer is used to figure out the time of the tides. The dial settings feature wind direction, number of days past new moon, or moon age, and tide indicator dial.
  • Handmade Compass and Sundial offered by our team at Dracolite. Handcrafted by skilled Spain artisans.

    Ideal for :

    * Larp or other event * Renaissance Decoration * Holidays and birthdays gift Based on a 16th century Astronomical Compendium, beautifully crafted, and exquisitely detailed, the Urania Propitia compass is a wonderful pocket size curiosity that will delight as well decorate an office or den. In the style of the compendiums, inside the casing of Renaissance character, there is a sundial of folding gnomon, mounted on a compass. Beautifully crafted of Brass complete with booklets explaining use and historical context
  • Handmade Lunar Calendar and Tide Computer offered by our team at Dracolite. Handcrafted by skilled Spain artisans.

    Ideal for :

    * Larp or other event * Renaissance Decoration * Holidays and birthdays gift Perpetual Moon phases calendar with a tidal abacus on the back. Based on British Renaissance instruments. This Instrument was conceived to address the need to predict the time of tidal changes. It draws on the intimate association with the rotation of the moon, which influences the tides as it rotates around the earth. The Tidal Abacus, or calculator, is employed to predict the time of tidal changes. In order to develop this piece, various instruments from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were studied, including astronomical compendiums, volvelles, and abacuses. Fashioned of Brass and complete with wooden base and booklets on historical context and use.
  • Handmade Tide Computer offered by our team at Dracolite. Handcrafted by skilled Spain artisans.

    Ideal for :

    * Larp or other event * Renaissance Decoration * Holidays and birthdays gift Fashioned of brass with wood base and featuring a compass rose on the reverse. This beautiful instrument is a great gift for the mariner or angler in your life. For that matter, anyone who wishes to become engaged with the interactions of the Earth, Moon, and Sea. The Tide Computer is used to figure out the time of the tides. The dial settings feature wind direction,the  number of days past new moon, or moon age, and tide indicator dial. Complete with wood base and display hook.  
  • Handmade Astrolabe offered by our team at Dracolite. Handcrafted by skilled Spain artisans.

    Ideal for :

    * Larp or other event * Renaissance Decoration * Holidays and birthdays gift Miniature nautical astrolabe. Was used for calculating latitude using Sun and Stars height. Scale reduced.  This instrument is a replica of the Nautical Astrolabe of the "Valance", which is placed in the Kensington Museum and belonged to the Army of Philipe II (16th century). The nautical astrolabe is simplified to measure the altitude of the stars for purposes of navigation. It's heavier construction from those used on land was to compensate for the movement of the vessel at sea. This beautiful instrument is made of brass and comes complete with wooden base and booklets explaining its use and historical context. The wooden base is ideal for placement of a commemorative plaque in recognition of achievement or an event.
  • Handmade Compass offered by our team at Dracolite. Handcrafted by skilled Spain artisans.

    Ideal for :

    * Larp or other event * Renaissance Decoration * Holidays and birthdays gift Nautical or Marine compass with Cardan system. Cardan: plate moves freely as with the sea waves. The Cardan or marine compass is a nautical instrument whose use was fundamental in the development of navigation and cartography. This exquisite instrument features the compass set in a gimbal with the two rings divided into 360 degrees. The gimbal is also called a Cardan after the Italian mathematician who developed this method of leveling the instrument at sea in the 15th century. The interior of the lid is decorated with a compass rose and the top of the lid is decorated with a marine scene. The compass is crafted of a wooden base with brass lid.
  • Handmade Compass and Sundial offered by our team at Dracolite. Handcrafted by skilled Spain artisans.

    Ideal for :

    * Larp or other event * Renaissance Decoration * Holidays and birthdays gift This sea or gimbaled compass (name of the mechanical system) makes it possible that the plate of the compass always remains in horizontal position, in spite of the swaying of the boat, to facilitate the reading. The sun compass also includes a sundial, whose reading is simplified with the orientation. Nautical wood and brass have a compass rose which 32 divisions which correspond with each of the 32 rhumbs. The instrument is accompanied by a documentation with description in which their use is explained in detail.
  • Handmade Astrolabe offered by our team at Dracolite. Handcrafted by skilled Spain artisans.

    Ideal for :

    * Larp or other event * Renaissance Decoration * Holidays and birthdays gift Planispheric (Catholic or European) astrolabe, set for 50º North latitude. Stars and other features updated to make it functional.  This beautiful astrolabe  is based on the work of  Georg Hartman a sixteenth-century astronomer from Nuremberg, Germany. The astrolabe is an astronomical calculating device used from ancient times into the eighteenth century. It's used by measuring the height of a star using the back of the instrument, and knowing the latitude, one could find the time of night and the position of other stars. The openwork piece on the front, called the rete, is a star map of the northern sky. Pointers on the rete correspond to stars; the outermost circle is the Tropic of Capricorn, and the circle that is off-center represents the zodiac, the apparent annual motion of the sun. Engraved plates that fit below the rete have scales of altitude and azimuth (arc of the horizon) for specific latitudes.  Crafted of brass with a wooden base this instrument comes complete with booklets on its use and historical context. The wooden base is ideal for placement of a commemorative plaque in recognition of achievement or an event.
  • Handmade Astrolabe offered by our team at Dracolite. Handcrafted by skilled Spain artisans.

    Ideal for :

    * Larp or other event * Renaissance Decoration * Holidays and birthdays gift Astrolabes date from the time of Ptolemy and the name in Greek means "Star Searcher." Planispheric (Catholic or European) astrolabe. Stars updated. Its precision and aesthetics makes of this instrument, made for 50,5º Latitude, a unique piece. It is a tool for astronomers, astrologers, and surveyors widely used until the 17th century. This beautifully crafted instrument of brass with companion wood base will delight and intrigue. The wooden base is ideal for placement of a commemorative plaque in recognition of achievement or an event.
  • Handmade Perpetual Calendar offered by our team at Dracolite. Handcrafted by skilled Spain artisans.

    Ideal for :

    * Larp or other event * Renaissance Decoration * Holidays and birthdays gift This calendar starts on January 1st, 1600 and ends December 31st, 2799 it is based on the repeating cycle of 400 years and a solar cycle of 28 years. It works by means of the "Dominical Letter"  This beautiful instrument is fashioned of brass and comes complete with wooden base and booklets explaining method of use and historical context.
  • Nocturnal

    $195.00
    Handmade Nocturnal offered by our team at Dracolite. Handcrafted by skilled Spain artisans.

    Ideal for :

    * Larp or other event * Renaissance Decoration * Holidays and birthdays gift Horogium noctis or noctilabium is the Latin name for the Nocturnal, also called nocturlabe. This nighttime clock was constructed in 1569 in Florence by Girolanso della Volpaia. The original is in the History of Science Museum in Florence. Its creator had not very accurate calculation boards, to use this instrument correctly one must add 38 days to observation date. The Nocturnal is made of three concentric brass disks, which can turn freely with respect to each other around a central ring. Made of brass and printed markings, this beautifully finished working instrument will adorn, delight, educate and entertain.

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