Broms, Allan
1934

Broms Star Guide Planisphere

Broms Star Guide Planisphere by Leavenworth Penitentiary graduate Allan Broms

DESCRIPTION: Broms Star Guide (1934), a very rare planisphere created during the depth of the Great Depression. This planisphere is the only example of Broms Star Guide known to exist (per Internet search). It contains much peripheral information about astronomy that are not found on other planispheres, e.g. moon phases, meteor calendar, the Greek alphabet, and a moon map.

Model AN, for the Northern Hemisphere. Published by the Graphex Company, New York.

This planisphere was created by Allan (Allen) Strong-Broms (1886-1965), draft resister, Leavenworth prisoner, author, inventor, lecturer, businessman and "not a professional astronomer". As a result of his pacifism and resistance Broms told his son that he “had seen the inside of twenty-two jails.” [2]

No copies located online and no holdings recorded in WorldCat. The only mention of Broms Star Guide is the LOC copyright catalog. Allan Broms was granted a patent for the Star Guide on November 20, 1934.

Allan Strong Broms (1886 - 1965)

Allan Broms was a resident of St. Paul, Minnesota, with a degree from The University of Minnesota. Broms worked in St. Paul, Minn. as a draftsman ca. 1913. A Socialist and draft resister, Broms was the last arrested of the St. Paul Socialist draft resisters and was sent to prison at Camp Dodge ca 1918. A member of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW a.k.a. Wobblies), Broms was married with two children. Eventually sentenced to 20 years in prison, Broms served time in Leavenworth Penitentiary. His sentence was later commuted. [2]. In July 1928 Broms became Science Editor in July 1928 for Evolution. [3]

In 1961 Allan Broms, described as "Not a professional astronomer" had dropped the hyphenated last name and authored a book on astronomy for the lay reader titled "Our Emerging Universe" [1]. A biography on the back dust cover provides scant detail on his prior life:

"Engineer, lecturer, editor and inventor, Allan Broms has been engaged in scientific work since his graduation from the University of Minnesota. He is past President of the New York chapter of the American Humanist Association and is a frequent lecturer on scientific subjects for the layman. As an engineer he has been connected with a number of corporations and recently managed his own business in optics, photographic equipment and business systems. Allan Broms is married and lives in Flushing, New York."

Sources:

[1] OUR EMERGING UNIVERSE, Allan Broms, 296 pp., Doubleday and Company, New York, 1961.
[2] http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/55/v55i07p286-301.pdf
[3] https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.676.1719&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Also see: Heatherton, Christina. University of Radicalism: Ricardo Flores Magón and Leavenworth Penitentiary. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43823419

CREATOR: Broms, Allan

PUBLICATION DATE: 1934

GEOGRAPHIC AREA: United States

BODY OF WATER: N/A

CONDITION: Fair. Intact without any major structural defects. Dirty. Evidence of wear and handling . Frayed edge taping.

COLORING:

ENGRAVER:

SIZE: 9 " x 9 "

ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 300

PRICE: $995

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