Accession No

6823

Brief Description

Gunter quadrant, by Nathanaell Heighemore, English, 1633

Origin

England

Maker

Nathanaell Heighemore

Class

dials

Earliest Date

1633

Latest Date

1633

Inscription Date

1633

Material

metal (brass)

Dimensions

115mm (radius), 10mm (height)

Special Collection

Provenance

Purchased from Bonhams, London in April 2024.

Inscription

Sinister pes Orionis
Prima cingli Orionis
Canis maior
Lucida Hydra
Spira Virginis
Oculus Tauri
Dexter humerus Orionis
Procyon
Cor Leonis
Arcturus
Exterior ala Pegafi
Meridionalis Borealis Declinali [reverse, corner section]

Nathanaell Heighe
more: A:D:1633 [reverse, along curved edge]

Description Notes

Gunter quadrant, by Nathanaell Heighemore, English, 1633.

Brass Gunter quadrant mounted with pin-hole sights, extensively decorated with engraved scenes. Obverse side has a rotating plate with a shadow square with 0-10 scale, and the months of the year in a scale around the outside. Engravings of several astronomical constellations decorate the centre. Around the outside are further scales, from the inside outward: the hours of the day; 0-90° and 90-0° scales; and 0-80 and 80-0 scales. In the corners are three engraved scenes of animals and figures.

On the reverse, pin-hole sights are mounted at two of the corners. The projection is to a 90° scale, and is decorated with engraved scenes of ships, a stag hunt and vines. A table of twelve stars is engraved in the corner.

Object is complete.

References

Events