Diptych Dial, Late 16th century ?
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Late 16th century ?
This oval-shaped diptych dial is constructed from bone and measures 50 x 62 x 18 mm. The instrument is unsigned, although the construction resembles the style of late 16th-century makers from Nuremberg.
It consists of two leaves joined by a hinge with a small catch to hold the device open. The outer surfaces are plain. On the inner face of the upper leaf, decoration consists of tangent circles and an engraved date that is read as 1592, though the final digit is uncertain. The lower leaf contains a compass, which is currently missing its needle, and a horizontal string gnomon dial. The hour lines on the lower leaf are graduated from V to XII to VII, including markings for half-hours.
The object is currently part of the collection at the British Museum, having been acquired via the Ilbert Collection through a gift from Gilbert Edgar in 1958.
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
- Type
- Nuremberg diptych dial
- Maker
- Unsigned
- Condition
- The lower leaf is badly cracked
- Dimensions
- 50 x 62 x 18 mm
- Provenance
- Ilbert Collection
- Inscribed Date
- 1592(?)
- Place recorded
- Nuremberg
- Acquisition Date
- 1958
- Geographic Association
- Nuremberg
Design
- Visible features
- • Oval shape with two leaves joined by a hinge • Compass inset in lower leaf with 'S' and 'M' markings • String gnomon connecting the upper and lower leaves • Cracks visible across the surface of the lower leaf
- Provenance and History
- The instrument is held by the British Museum in London. It was previously part of the Ilbert Collection and was donated to the museum in 1958 by Gilbert Edgar. The piece is formally catalogued with the registration number MLA 1958, 10-6.2415. The dial is further documented in academic literature relating to the museum's collections. It appears in F. A. B. Ward's 1981 publication regarding the museum's department of Medieval and Later Antiquities, where it is listed as object number 14 on page 22.
- Chronology and Attribution
- The object remains unsigned, making a definitive identification of the maker impossible. An engraved date appears on the interior of the upper leaf, which is identified as 1592. However, the final digit is not clearly legible, leading to uncertainty regarding the exact year of manufacture.
- Construction and Dial Layout
- The dial is formed from bone in an oval configuration consisting of an upper and lower leaf connected by a hinge. To facilitate use, a small catch is integrated near the hinge to secure the instrument in an open position. The exterior faces of the leaves are plain and featureless. The interior of the upper leaf features engraved geometric decoration consisting of tangent circles, alongside an inscribed date. The lower leaf houses a compass, which currently lacks its needle, with the interior bowl inscribed with the letters 'S' and 'M'. Surrounding the compass is a horizontal dial designed for a string gnomon. The scale is graduated for common hours ranging from V to XII to VII, with small markings indicating half-hour intervals.
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: The exact date of manufacture remains uncertain due to the illegible final digit of the inscribed year
- Research required: The attribution to Nuremberg is based on style only, as the instrument is unsigned