Diptych Dial, 1612
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1612
This diptych dial is a 17th-century instrument constructed from ivory and brass, measuring 100 x 140 x 15 mm. Attributed to the workshop of Paul Reinmann and dated 1612, the Nuremberg-made object serves as a complex timekeeping and astronomical tool.
The upper leaf features two pin gnomon dials displaying day length and planetary hours, alongside a list of 54 cities with their corresponding latitudes. The lower leaf houses a compass and a string gnomon dial, with additional scaphe dials on its sides for Italian and Babylonian hours. The outer surfaces include a wind rose and a lunar volvelle with an epact table for 1612. Notable decorative elements include gilt brass plates depicting putti in the spandrel spaces and a figure of the Virgin and Child below the main dial.
The instrument contains a known inscription error in the compass, where the cardinal direction 'SEPTENERO' is misspelled.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- 1612
- Type
- Nuremberg diptych dial
- Maker
- Workshop of Paul Reinmann
- Materials
- Ivory and brass
- Dimensions
- 100 x 140 x 15 mm
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Inscribed Error
- SEPTENERO
- Place of Origin
- Nuremberg
- Maker / attribution
- Workshop of Paul Reinmann
Design
- Visible features
- • Ivory construction with inlaid brass elements • Engraved city latitude list on the inner upper leaf • Gilt brass decorative plates with putti motifs • Figure of the Virgin and Child engraved below the compass
- Horological Indicators
- The diptych dial functions through multiple integrated systems. The upper leaf provides planetary hours numbered from 1 to 12 in red ink, and day length information marked from 8 to 16. The lower leaf features a string gnomon dial configured for seven different latitudes, with the 54-degree setting showing markings for half and quarter hours. The side scaphe dials provide specialized temporal data, indicating Italian hours from 8 to 23 and Babylonian hours from 1 to 16. The instrument’s maker’s mark, a crown, is punched twice at the bottom of the lower leaf dial circle, confirming the workshop origin.
- Construction and Layout
- The instrument is a folding diptych dial composed of ivory leaves featuring brass fittings. The outer side of the upper leaf contains a wind rose with 32 directions and weather types recorded in German, while the outer side of the lower leaf hosts a lunar volvelle table for the year 1612. The assembly is held together by brass components, including a counterchanged arm with Gothic-style ends. The internal leaves are heavily engraved with multiple timekeeping systems. The upper leaf includes two pin gnomon dials and a list of 54 cities with their respective latitudes, allowing for adjustment to seven distinct settings. The lower leaf integrates a compass, a string gnomon dial for various latitudes, and two flanking scaphe dials indicating Italian and Babylonian hours, decorated with floral patterns and a figure of the Virgin and Child.
- Decoration and Features
- The dial displays intricate metalwork in its eight spandrel spaces, which house gilt brass triangular plates featuring the faces of putti. These plates function as feet for the base when the instrument is in a closed or displayed position. The central composition is further embellished with detailed landscape engravings beneath the pin gnomon dials on the upper leaf. Despite the high quality of the ivory and the precision of the engraving, the instrument contains specific irregularities. Notably, the compass displays a misspelling of the cardinal point 'SEPTENERO'. The design also incorporates religious iconography, including a figure of the Virgin and Child situated below the central string gnomon dial area.
Identification
- Inventory Number
- 84206
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Compass ring is missing
- Research required: Brass lunar volvelle on the lower leaf is missing