Vertical Disc Dial
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1550 or 1574
This vertical disc dial, held by the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford (inventory number 46380), is an unsigned horological instrument constructed from gilt brass.
Measuring 43 mm in diameter, the object is a portable sun-measuring device. One side features a relief depiction of a crowned Christ enthroned, clutching an orb and sceptre, encircled by an inscription identifying the subject in German and the date 1550. The reverse side contains a calendar scale displaying month names and days, alongside common hours numbered 4 to 12 to 8. These are demarcated by directional terminology in German for morning and afternoon hours, as well as rising and setting solar indicators.
The dial contains an additional inscription, '15 74 M T K', which is recorded as a possible, albeit unidentified, signature or marking. The object functions as a solar timepiece.
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
- Other sundial
- Maker
- Unsigned
- Origin
- German
- Diameter
- 43 mm
- Material
- Gilt brass
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Secondary date
- 1574
Design
- Visible features
- • Object is a circular gilt brass disc with a suspension loop at the top • Relief decoration on one side depicts a crowned figure • Calendar scale is visible on the reverse side • German text is engraved around the perimeter of the Christ image
- Markings and Attribution
- The instrument remains unsigned by a known maker. The dating remains ambiguous due to the presence of two distinct years on the object: 1550, which appears within the decorative circular inscription, and 1574, which appears elsewhere on the dial. The secondary date of 1574 is accompanied by the letters 'M T K'. While these characters are noted in the records as a potential signature, no definitive attribution to a specific maker or workshop has been established by the museum.
- Visual and Iconographic Design
- The primary face of this vertical disc dial is dominated by a relief casting featuring a crowned, seated Christ figure. The deity holds both an orb and a sceptre, symbols of temporal and spiritual authority. The figure is framed by pillars, contributing to the formal composition of the disc's obverse. A band surrounding the central relief contains an inscription written in German: 'IHESVS ? CHRISTVS ? AIN ? KYNIG ? IN ? HIMEL ? VND ? DER ? ERDEN ? 1550'. This text provides a religious context for the object, translating to 'Jesus Christ King in Heaven and on Earth 1550', effectively linking the time-telling function of the instrument to its devotional iconography.
- Horological and Calendar Functions
- The reverse of the gilt brass disc is functional, serving as a calendar and sundial. It features a specific scale meant to track the months and the corresponding days of the year. This calendar mechanism suggests the object was used for tracking seasonal changes alongside daily time. The dial includes common hour markings, specifically numbered from 4 to 12 and back to 8. These hours are grouped by specific German inscriptions that distinguish between morning and afternoon periods, while also indicating the rising and setting of the sun.
Identification
- Inventory number
- 46380
- 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 dating is presented as a choice between 1550 or 1574 based on conflicting inscriptions
- Research required: The initials 'M T K' are described as a possible but unidentified signature