polyhedral sundial
Date1737
Inventory Number7279
ClassificationSundial
Subject
Maker
Italian
Place of Origin
Dimensionsclosed: 3.5 x 4.8 x 5.4 cm (1 3/8 x 1 7/8 x 2 1/8 in.)
Material
DescriptionThis portable, pocket-sized, polyhedral sundial is fashioned from an octagonal wooden box with a hinged lid. All hardware is brass.
1a
The top of the lid has decorations of concentric circles around the perimeter. There is a circular shallow well wtih a bit of colored leather surrounded by a ring of dark, inlaid bone. A rectangular brass bar turns to latch the dial lid shut.
1b
The underside of the lid has a vertical direct south, string-gnomon dial, with hours marked 6-12-6, by 1 hour intervals. The numerals are stamped and filled with red material.
2a
This scaphe sundial is prepared for Italian hours, 9-23, marked in black numerals and lines. The common civil hours, 5-12-7, are marked in red numerals and dotted lines. The sun's position in the ecliptic is indicated and labeled in Italian using the initials of the months. An inscription around the compass box reads, "Ad Modum Campanae." The magnetic compass has a yellow paper marked with a single arrow offest for magnetic declination. The wind rose is labeled "L" and "P," which are the initials two cardinal directions according the system of Italian wind names. On the front edge of leaf 2a, the date is written, "1737."
2 sides
There are sundials on eight sides of the octagonal box. All have hinged, brass pin gnomons. All are marked in Italian hours. All have lines to indicate the solstices and equinoxes, and these are labeled with the symbols of the appropriate zodiacal signs.
Beginning at the back hinge and progressing around the box, the sundials are the following:
1) direct north, vertical dial
2) declining northeast, vertical dial
3) direct east, vertical dial
4) declining southeast, vertical dial
5) direct south, vertical dial
6) declining southwest, vertical dial
7) direct west, vertical dial
8) declining northwest, vertical dial
Sundials 4, 5, and 6 each have a vertical line marked "M" for the meridian. This serves as a noon mark.
2b
The bottom of the box is plain, except for a paper sticker ("104"), a painted red numeral ("104"), and a black numeral ("279"), referring to earlier inventory numbers.
object name: pocket polyhedral sundial
1a
The top of the lid has decorations of concentric circles around the perimeter. There is a circular shallow well wtih a bit of colored leather surrounded by a ring of dark, inlaid bone. A rectangular brass bar turns to latch the dial lid shut.
1b
The underside of the lid has a vertical direct south, string-gnomon dial, with hours marked 6-12-6, by 1 hour intervals. The numerals are stamped and filled with red material.
2a
This scaphe sundial is prepared for Italian hours, 9-23, marked in black numerals and lines. The common civil hours, 5-12-7, are marked in red numerals and dotted lines. The sun's position in the ecliptic is indicated and labeled in Italian using the initials of the months. An inscription around the compass box reads, "Ad Modum Campanae." The magnetic compass has a yellow paper marked with a single arrow offest for magnetic declination. The wind rose is labeled "L" and "P," which are the initials two cardinal directions according the system of Italian wind names. On the front edge of leaf 2a, the date is written, "1737."
2 sides
There are sundials on eight sides of the octagonal box. All have hinged, brass pin gnomons. All are marked in Italian hours. All have lines to indicate the solstices and equinoxes, and these are labeled with the symbols of the appropriate zodiacal signs.
Beginning at the back hinge and progressing around the box, the sundials are the following:
1) direct north, vertical dial
2) declining northeast, vertical dial
3) direct east, vertical dial
4) declining southeast, vertical dial
5) direct south, vertical dial
6) declining southwest, vertical dial
7) direct west, vertical dial
8) declining northwest, vertical dial
Sundials 4, 5, and 6 each have a vertical line marked "M" for the meridian. This serves as a noon mark.
2b
The bottom of the box is plain, except for a paper sticker ("104"), a painted red numeral ("104"), and a black numeral ("279"), referring to earlier inventory numbers.
object name: pocket polyhedral sundial
In Collection(s)
Signedunsigned
Inscribedon 2a: 1737
Curatorial RemarksChristie's DC830/181.
FunctionPolyhedral sundials evidenced the mathematical playfulness of sundial makers and users. These dials found time by many faces of the instrument.
ProvenanceJoseph Drecker, Aachen, Germany, before 1928 (no. 223). David Wheatland acquired in 1959. Donated to CHSI c. 1985.
