Vertical Disc Dial, Late 16th century
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Late 16th century
This late 16th-century Spanish vertical disc dial is a bronze portable horological instrument measuring 42 mm in diameter. The dial, held in the collection of the British Museum, is unsigned and designed for vertical suspension.
It functions by being oriented towards the sun while the user adjusts a folding pin gnomon to the appropriate time of the year. The device features an integral suspension ring and is decorated with a relief portrait of King Philip of Spain on one side, including an inscription referencing his titles. The opposing side presents the timekeeping face, which integrates an alidade, a folding gnomon, and engraved hour scales ranging from 4 to 12 to 8.
The central portion of the dial displays a sun effigy set against a dotted background, accompanied by foliage ornamentation at the top and bottom edges. The instrument was donated by Max Rosenheim in 1897.
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
- Late 16th century
- Type
- Other sundial
- Maker
- Unsigned
- Origin
- Spanish
- Material
- Bronze
- Dimensions
- 42 mm diameter
- Provenance
- Presented by Max Rosenheim in 1897
- Inscription
- ' ? PHILIPPVS ? D ? G ? HISP ? ET ? ANGLIA ? REX ?'
- Place recorded
- Spain
- Registration number
- MLA 1897, 5-12.1
Design
- Visible features
- • Integral suspension ring at the top • Sun effigy with a dotted background at the center • Folding pin gnomon mounted on an alidade • Engraved hour scales and month initials
- Design and Ornamentation
- The disc dial is constructed from bronze and measures 42 mm in diameter. It is equipped with a small suspension ring, allowing the user to hang the device vertically for observation. One side of the bronze plate is occupied by a relief medal-style bust of King Philip of Spain. The King is depicted wearing armour and a laurel wreath, surrounded by a Latin inscription that denotes his royal titles. The reverse side serves as the time-telling face. It is embellished with foliage designs at the top and bottom positions. The center of the plate features a stylized sun effigy set within a background of stippled or dotted detail, providing a decorative focal point for the functional components of the dial.
- Timekeeping Functionality
- The instrument functions as a vertical disc dial, which requires the user to hold it in a vertical orientation relative to the sun. It includes an adjustable alidade that supports a folding pin gnomon. The user must position this gnomon according to the time of the year to properly calibrate the instrument for seasonal changes. The hour scale is engraved along the outer portion of the face, marked from 4 to 12 to 8 on the right side. On the left side of the dial, there are engraved initials representing the names of the months, which assist in setting the gnomon. Once the instrument is correctly aligned, the shadow cast by the pin gnomon indicates the time on the peripheral scale.
- Provenance and Documentation
- The dial was formally acquired by the British Museum in 1897 following its presentation by Max Rosenheim. The object is cataloged under the inventory number MLA 1897, 5-12.1. It is documented in F. A. B. Ward's 1981 work, 'A Catalogue of European Scientific Instruments in the Department of Medieval and Later Antiquities of the British Museum'. The museum notes that the dial is similar in design to two other vertical disc dials held in the collections of the Museum of History of Science in Oxford. These comparisons suggest a specific tradition of instrument making within the late 16th-century Spanish context, though the primary object itself remains unsigned by its original maker.
Identification
- 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: Uncertain if the attribution to late 16th-century Spain is definitive
- Research required: The exact functional accuracy of the instrument remains unverified in the provided data