Diptych Dial, 1566
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1566
This gilt brass diptych dial, measuring 88 x 104 x 8 mm, is attributed to Christoph Schissler and dated 1566. The object comprises two leaves joined by a hinge, with a brass hook and ring latch on the side to secure the instrument in an open position.
The outer upper leaf features strapwork, two coats-of-arms, and the date 1566 engraved twice. Internally, the upper leaf contains a vertical string gnomon dial. The lower leaf houses a compass, although the ring, needle, and glass are currently detached. It also features a horizontal string gnomon dial, though the string is missing. The lower leaf includes a sun effigy and a signature, '?C ? S ? 1566', positioned centrally among hour lines marked IIII to XII to VIII.
The exterior of the lower leaf includes three bun feet and a clasp mechanism for closure when not in use.
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
- 1566
- Type
- Augsburg diptych dial
- Maker
- Christoph Schissler
- Location
- British Museum, London
- Material
- Gilt brass
- Signature
- ?C ? S ? 1566
- Dimensions
- 88 x 104 x 8 mm
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Maker / attribution
- Christoph Schissler
Design
- Visible features
- • Heart-shaped aperture on the upper leaf • Compass ring present on lower leaf with missing needle • Signature '?C ? S ? 1566' engraved on the horizontal dial • Brass hook and ring latch assembly on the left edge
- Dials and Compass
- The inner upper leaf contains a vertical string gnomon dial calibrated for common hours from 6 to 12 to 6. A spade-shaped aperture in the centre was later filled with a matching brass plate. The lower leaf contains the internal horizontal string gnomon dial, though the string is currently missing. Hour lines are marked from IIII to XII to VIII and further divided into half-hour segments using lines and quarter-hour segments using dots. The lower leaf also contains a compass cavity. While the ring, needle, and glass are described as detached, the cardinal points are engraved with abbreviations: SE, ORT, ME, and OCC, along with a line indicating magnetic deviation. The hour lines on the horizontal dial radiate from a sun effigy located at the centre.
- Construction and Decoration
- The diptych dial is constructed from gilt brass, measuring 88 by 104 by 8 mm. The outer face of the upper leaf shows decorative engravings including strapwork and two coats-of-arms. The date 1566 is engraved twice on this section. A heart-shaped viewing hole for the compass is present, and the lower leaf also features a heart-shaped hole of uncertain utility. The lower leaf exterior is plain, featuring a blank rectangle and four lines extending to the corners, supported by three bun feet. A clasp is used to keep the instrument closed. On the left side of the dial, a brass hook and ring latch is provided to maintain the open position during use.
- Provenance and Documentation
- The instrument was formerly part of the Bernal collection, recorded as number 3959. It was acquired by the British Museum in 1855. It is catalogued under the registration number MLA 1855, 12-1.229. The object is documented in F. A. B. Ward's 1981 publication, 'A Catalogue of European Scientific Instruments in the Department of Medieval and Later Antiquities of the British Museum', where it is listed as item 103 on page 43.
Identification
- 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: Use of the heart-shaped hole in the lower leaf is described as not quite clear
- Research required: Signature is marked with question marks in the source description, indicating uncertainty