Vertical Disc Dial, circa 1570
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1570
The Vertical Disc Dial (Inventory number 47553) is a brass instrument of German manufacture, dating to approximately 1570. It consists of a primary plate with a raised edge, termed a mater, that houses two removable internal plates.
The plates are secured within the mater by lugs. The dial features a folding gnomon located at the top near a hanging ring, connected by a rule graduated from 5 to 64.5, used to determine the height of the sun. The instrument's surface is extensively engraved with calendar scales, zodiacal symbols, seasonal names, and varied hour systems, including common, Italian, and planetary hours. One plate bears a Latin inscription: 'Curriculum meum perficiam donec aduenerit dominus'.
A coat-of-arms is engraved at the centre, though its charges have been effaced. The engraving technique is described as an unusual combination of intaglio and relief work.
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
- circa 1570
- Type
- Other sundial
- Maker
- Unsigned
- Origin
- German
- Diameter
- 117 mm
- Inscription
- Curriculum meum perficiam donec aduenerit dominus
- Place recorded
- Germany
Design
- Visible features
- • Folding gnomon at the top • Engraved sun effigy surrounded by zodiacal symbols, stars, and clouds • Lugs on internal plates for alignment within the mater • Rule connecting the gnomon to the center of the plate
- Functional Components
- Functionally, the instrument serves multiple timekeeping purposes through its interchangeable internal plates. One plate is specifically designed for the reading of planetary hours and includes a table indicating the ruling planets for each day of the week. The reverse of this plate features the aforementioned Italian hour display and sun effigy. The second plate, which is blank on one side, features common hour lines numbered from 4 to 12 to 8 on the other. Latitude-dependent lines are also engraved on the border of this plate, originating from the centre. The instrument remains unsigned, and its provenance relies upon the museum's cataloguing of the piece within their scientific instrument collection.
- Engraving and Symbolism
- The dial is notable for its decorative program and varied engraving techniques. One plate features Italian hour lines represented as quasi-concentric segments. At the centre of these lines, an effigy of the sun is depicted, surrounded by zodiacal symbols, blowing faces, stars, and clouds, with a representation of a half-moon. Beneath this astronomical arrangement, the Latin phrase 'Curriculum meum perficiam donec aduenerit dominus' is inscribed. The central area of the dial incorporates a coat-of-arms; however, the charges that previously occupied the escutcheon have been worn away or intentionally removed. The overall engraving style is described as an unusual combination of relief and intaglio methods.
- Structural Design and Layout
- The instrument follows the general form of an astrolabe, featuring a main plate with a raised edge known as a mater. Two additional plates are designed to fit within this circular frame. To ensure the orientation of these internal components, each plate is equipped with lugs that lock into a specific notch on the edge of the mater, preventing rotation during use. The external side of the mater displays a comprehensive calendar scale, which includes days and names of months, as well as a circle graduated twice from 5 to 30. Zodiacal symbols, seasons, and scales representing the length of the night and Italian hours for sunrise are also present on the device. The folding gnomon is positioned at the top of the mater adjacent to the hanging ring, and a graduated rule links this gnomon to the centre of the instrument, allowing the user to measure solar altitude.
Identification
- Inventory Number
- 47553
- 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 charges on the escutcheon are effaced, preventing identification of the coat-of-arms
- Research required: The engraving style is unusual and its specific regional or workshop origins remain unverified