Paul Reinmann Diptych Dial, 1607
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1607
This 1607 diptych dial is constructed from ivory and brass, measuring 142 x 112 x 17 mm. The object is signed by the Nuremberg maker Paul Reinmann and features elaborate decorative engraving with red, green, black, and gold-filled inscriptions.
The surface is adorned with floral, foliate, and scrollwork designs featuring animals, with gilt brass cherub spandrels at the corners of the upper and lower outer leaves. Functional elements include a wind rose, pin gnomon dials for Babylonian and Italian hours, a horizontal string gnomon dial for multiple latitudes, and a latitude list for 99 European cities. A complex series of brass volvelles is integrated into the lower leaf, incorporating a calendar, lunar cycles, and time conversion scales.
The instrument is held by the British Museum, having been bequeathed by Octavius Morgan in 1888.
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
- 1607
- Type
- Nuremberg diptych dial
- Maker
- Paul Reinmann
- Materials
- Ivory and brass
- Dimensions
- 142 x 112 x 17 mm
- Place recorded
- Nuremberg
- Maker / attribution
- Paul Reinmann
- Place of manufacture
- Nuremberg
Design
- Visible features
- • Decorative motifs include floral, leaf, and animal scrollwork patterns • Gilt brass cherub spandrels are attached to the corners of the outer faces • The instrument employs both gilt and silvered brass for the volvelles
- Construction and Decoration
- The diptych dial is manufactured from ivory and brass, measuring 142 by 112 by 17 millimeters. The ivory surfaces are intricately engraved with floral, leaf, and scroll motifs, which incorporate various animal figures. Inscriptions stamped into the ivory are highlighted with red, green, black, and gold color fills. The external corners of the upper and lower dials are finished with gilt brass cherub spandrels, although one such component is currently missing. The two leaves are secured with brass clasps, and a secondary clasp is provided to hold the instrument open during use.
- Provenance and Documentation
- The object is part of the collection of the British Museum in London, identified by the registration number MLA 1888,12-1.285. It was acquired by the museum via the bequest of Octavius Morgan in 1888. The instrument has been catalogued in academic literature, specifically appearing in the 1981 work by F. A. B. Ward, A catalogue of European Scientific Instruments in the Department of Medieval and Later Antiquities of the British Museum.
- Timekeeping and Astronomical Functions
- The instrument contains a wide array of functional astronomical indicators. The inner leaf surfaces house pin gnomon dials configured for Babylonian, Italian, and unequal planetary hours. Additionally, a horizontal string gnomon dial provides for multiple latitudes. A latitude list comprising 99 European cities is arranged in three columns on the inner upper leaf. The lower leaf exterior features an elaborate set of rotating brass discs. These volvelles include a calendar with month names, daily numbering, day letters, and a listing of 81 Christian saints and feast days. Central discs facilitate the calculation of lunar age, solar time, and time corrections.
Identification
- Inventory number
- MLA 1888,12-1.285
- 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: One cherub spandrel is noted as missing
- Research required: The string for the latitude-specific dial is not original to the instrument