Vertical Dial, 1593
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1593
This gilt brass pillar sundial, dating to 1593, is designed in the form of a Corinthian column on a square moulded base. The instrument is surmounted by a terrestrial globe, which can be lifted to reveal a secondary small internal compass with a string gnomon dial.
The main exterior column features fluted lower portions, while the upper section is engraved with hour lines from V to XII to VII and a calendar scale divided by month. A latitude scale is marked on the right side of the hours, with additional zodiacal symbols positioned in vertical zones corresponding to the months. The base of the pillar is inscribed on all four sides with Latin text. The object appears to have been re-gilded.
This item was part of the Octavius Morgan bequest to the British Museum in 1888 and is referenced in the museum's published catalogue of European scientific instruments.
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
- 1593
- Type
- Other sundial
- Origin
- German
- Material
- Gilt brass
- Dimensions
- 31 x 31 x 190 mm
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Secondary dial
- Compass and string gnomon
- Inscription location
- Square base
Design
- Visible features
- • Corinthian column capital detail • Detachable terrestrial globe • Square base with four-sided inscription • Latitude scale markings 0-65
- Timekeeping Scales
- The exterior of the column is engraved with hour lines ranging from V to XII to VII, positioned above a horizontal calendar scale. The months are divided into three parts each, with equinoxes indicated for late March and late September. Vertical zones corresponding to these months display zodiacal symbols. A latitude scale is situated to the right of the hour lines, marked from 0 to 65. The dial also incorporates a hidden timekeeping feature: lifting the terrestrial globe reveals a smaller, internal dial centered on a compass, featuring hour lines from 5 to 12 to 7 with dots denoting half-hour increments.
- Form and Construction
- The instrument takes the form of a pillar dial resembling a Corinthian column. It stands on a square, moulded base that is inscribed with text on all four sides. The column itself is composed of distinct sections, including a fluted lower portion and an upper section containing the primary timekeeping scales. A bayonet fitting allows the column to connect securely to the base. The capital of the column is finely rendered in the Corinthian style, and it supports a detachable terrestrial globe at its peak. This globe features engravings of the equator and the tropic of Capricorn, alongside geographic labels such as 'MARE OCEANO' and 'MER DEL CHINA'.
- Provenance and Documentation
- This object was acquired by the British Museum as part of the bequest of Octavius Morgan in 1888. It is catalogued as item MLA 1888, 12-1.282. The instrument is documented in the 1981 publication by F. A. B. Ward, which serves as the museum's catalogue for European scientific instruments of that period. The piece appears to have undergone a re-gilding process at some point in its history. Despite its detailed inscriptions and engravings, the instrument remains unsigned by a specific maker.
Identification
- Reference
- MLA 1888, 12-1.282
- Accession Number
- MLA 1888, 12-1.282
- 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: Terrestrial globe material is unverified
- Research required: Re-gilding history is suggested but unconfirmed