Although there never was a manufacturer called "Aster", there was one, in Dresden, Germany, called Scholze & Aster, by whom this lathe was probably manufactured (though there is a chance that it might be by Oscar Ehrlich . It was imported by the London dealer George Adams, a man with close connections to Germany who was the well-established agent for Pittler lathes and known for less-expensive re-branded Lorch and Boley lathes for watchmakers. The name "Aster" - conveniently cast-into the face of an easily fitted tool tray - would have been chosen as sufficiently English to disguise the machine's origins, though it has also been found with other names in continental Europe as well as New Zealand and Australia.
Dating from 1895 to 1910 and with a 4.75" centre height and taking 20" between centres, the lathe was backgeared and screwcutting and offered on various stands. The most common mount appears to have been a particularly well-designed all-cast-iron pedestal type with a built-in treadle system, a fitted compartment for the changewheels and the flywheel overhung from the left-hand face.
Of cantilever form, the wide bed should have been free from distortion when clamped to its base support and included a large-capacity gap able to turn material up to 16" in diameter. A workman-like device, the lathe was built to a useful specification that included a headstock spindle bored through to clear 0.9", tumble reverse to the leadscrew drive, backgear, split clasp nuts on the apron, a set-over tailstock with a proper barrel clamp (rather than the "split" casting then so common). One final clue to the lathe's quality, an oil reservoir and dipper rod fitted to the tailstock - so there was no excuse for not lubricating (usually with poisonous white lead, not oil) the "back centre" or "poppet"  it was then known..