Inclining Dial by Ulrich Schniep, 1585
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1585
This 1585 inclining dial is made of gilt and silvered brass, measuring 66 x 48 x 15 mm. Signed by the Munich-based maker Ulrich Schniep, it is categorized as a viatorium.
The instrument features a hinged lid and a base with a suspension ring that also functions as a lid lock. The interior of the cover contains a volvelle for converting equal to Italian hours. The main box holds an inclining string-gnomon sundial, which is adjustable for latitudes between 42 and 52 degrees using an integrated plummet and scale. The device incorporates a 21 mm diameter compass with a cross of direction and a scale for magnetic variation.
The exterior is decorated with oak leaf and foliage engravings. The base features an engraving of Judith with the head of Holophernes. The lid's exterior bears a latitude table for 38 locations.
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
- 1585
- Type
- German inclining dial
- Maker
- Ulrich Schniep
- Location
- Munich
- Materials
- Gilt and silvered brass
- Dimensions
- 66 x 48 x 15 mm
- Latitude Range
- 42 to 52 degrees
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Maker / attribution
- Ulrich Schniep
Design
- Visible features
- • The gnomon support is comprised of two parts decorated as fish. • The dial plate features an engraved sun with the string gnomon emerging from its mouth. • The base includes an engraving of Judith wielding a sword with the head of Holophernes. • The compass bowl is silvered and includes a cross of direction.
- Construction and Dialing
- The inclining dial is constructed from gilt and silvered brass and functions as a portable timekeeping instrument. The main box contains an inclining string-gnomon dial where the gnomon is supported by a folding structure shaped like two fish. The dial plate, which is adjustable for latitudes between 42 and 52 degrees, is fitted with an integral plummet to assist in setting the correct inclination. An inset compass, measuring 21 mm in diameter, is located within the base. It features a silvered bowl and a scale of degrees specifically marked for magnetic variation. The dial plate itself contains a scale of equal hours, and the assembly pivots near the southern end to allow access to the compass beneath.
- Signatures and Provenance
- The instrument is signed by Ulrich Schniep, with the mark '15 [star]V[star]S[star] 85' appearing at the northern end of the disc. The term 'VIATORIVM' is also inscribed, identifying the instrument by its historical nomenclature for this type of portable sundial. The object is part of the Museum of the History of Science collection in Oxford, having previously been documented within the Lewis Evans Collection as item G. 386.
- Integrated Functions and Lid Decoration
- The hinged lid of the instrument serves as an additional informational surface. Its outer face is engraved with a 'Tabula latitudinis Regionum', providing latitude information for 38 different locations. The inner face of the lid incorporates a volvelle used for converting between equal hours and Italian hours based on the time of sunset. Decorative elements are present throughout the object, including oak leaf engraving on the lid sides and foliage engraving on the box sides. The base of the dial features a depiction of the biblical figure Judith holding the head of Holophernes, a design choice also observed on other instruments by the maker.
Identification
- Inventory Number
- 40748
- 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 source attributes the instrument to the Munich-based maker Ulrich Schniep, though no further documentary evidence for this attribution is provided beyond the signature.
- Research required: The exact nature of the magnetic variation scale's use beyond the marked degrees remains subject to historical interpretation.