Nocturnal And Sundial by Ulrich Schniep
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1581
This 132 mm diameter gilt brass instrument, signed by Ulrich Schniep and dated 1581, functions as both a nocturnal and a sundial. The nocturnal side includes a base plate featuring a zodiacal calendar, representations of constellations, and two moving volvelle plates with pointers for the sun and moon, including scales for time and lunar age.
An index arm is attached by a later screw and nut, lacking a central aperture for viewing the pole star. The reverse side features a Regiomontanus-type altitude dial, incorporating a triangular latitude grid, hour lines, solar declination scales, and a geometrical quadrant. The instrument is signed 'VDALRICVS SHNIEP MONACHY' and '15 VS 81'. It resembles a 1557 instrument by Caspar Vopel, and scholarly discussions exist regarding whether Schniep's work is a direct copy or if both instruments were derived from a common source.
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
- 1581
- Type
- German nocturnal and sundial
- Maker
- Ulrich Schniep
- Material
- Gilt brass
- Dimensions
- 132 mm in diameter
- Inscription
- VDALRICVS SHNIEP MONACHY
- Place recorded
- Munich
- Maker / attribution
- Ulrich Schniep
- Place of Manufacture
- Munich
Design
- Visible features
- • The index arm is secured by a later screw and square nut. • The noctural side features engraved constellations and zodiac signs on a calendar scale. • The instrument includes scales for a Regiomontanus-type altitude dial and a shadow-square. • The handle on the noctural side is engraved with a Latin inscription regarding the instrument's function.
- Instrumental Construction
- The nocturnal and sundial is constructed from gilt brass, measuring 132 mm in diameter. The nocturnal face serves as a multi-functional plate featuring a zodiacal calendar divided by month, day, and degree. It utilizes two volvelles; the first includes a sun index, time scale, and lunar age scale, while the second carries a lunar index and planetary aspect diagram. The index arm extends beyond the base plate, lacking the central aperture for the pole star. The attachment mechanism includes a later screw and square nut. The reverse functions as a Regiomontanus-type altitude dial, incorporating sight vanes, a grid for latitude, and scales for solar declination, as well as quadrant scales for geometric measurement and shadow-square readings.
- Comparison and Attribution
- The instrument is closely compared to a 1557 model by Caspar Vopel, also held by the Museum of the History of Science. Scholarly assessment suggests that the Schniep instrument may be a copy of the Vopel version, though it is acknowledged that both could have been sourced from a common, unverified origin.
- Signatures and Inscriptions
- The instrument is signed by Ulrich Schniep with the location and date inscribed as 'VDALRICVS SHNIEP MONACHY' and '15 VS 81'. Various instructional engravings in Latin adorn the handle and plates. These include descriptions of the nocturnal function on the back handle and labels for the latitude scale, shadow square, and general solar scales on the sundial side. The central index arm on the nocturnal side is extensively engraved with instructions and the name of the constellation, Stella Polaris. These inscriptions clarify the use of the instrument for calculating the sun's position and the nocturnal hours based on the location of stars relative to the pole.
Identification
- Inventory Number
- 51384
- 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 plumb-line for the sundial side is missing.
- Research required: The provenance or exact origin of the design remains speculative, with suggestions that it may be a copy of a 1557 Vopel instrument.