Accession No

1765

Brief Description

gunter quadrant, brass, by Abraham Watlington, English, 1639

Origin

England; London

Maker

Watlington, Abraham

Class

dials

Earliest Date

1639

Latest Date

1639

Inscription Date

1639

Material

metal (brass)

Dimensions

90 mm radius

Special Collection

Fitzwilliam Collection

Provenance

On loan from The Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge. Donated by Charles Holden-White to the Fitzwilliam Museum. C. Holden-White Collection no. 1935-119.

Inscription

‘M.D.C. XXX IX
AW
fecit’

Description Notes

Gunter quadrant, brass, by Abraham Watlington, signed “AW”, English, 1639.

Brass quadrant with pinhole sights on right hand side of face.
Obverse: Gunter projection for 51˚ 30´N. Date scale divided to named month, subdivided to 5 days (1st Aries at March 10). Ecliptic arc divided to zodiac sign, subdivided to 5˚. Horizon arc divided [0] - 40˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 5˚. Circumference degree scale divided [0] - 90˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚ also shadow square scale divided [0] - 100 - [0], numbered by 10, subdivided to 1. Declination scale divided [0] - 23˚ 30´, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚. Curved hour lines for winter and summer divided 6 - 12, 1 - 8, numbered by 1 and with half-hours also marked. Curved azimuth lines divided [0] - [125˚] at 5˚ intervals. 6 stars are plotted on the projection and listed in the apex of the quadrant: ‘Oculus 0 1, Procyon 2, Cor Leonis 3, Acturus 4, Aquila 5, Exi+alae Peg:6’ . On the right hand edge of the face ‘The Line of Lat:’ divided [0] - 90˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚. Beneath the table of stars ‘The Line of Hours’ and signature.
Reverse: Fixed hour circle divided 1 - 12, 1 - 12, numbered by 1, subdivided to 15 minutes. Outside this a degree scale divided [0] - 90˚ - [0]; scale of latitudes divided [0] - [90˚]. Rotatable disc with date scale divided to initialled month, subdivided to 5 days. Within this a Rojas projection superimposed over the circumpolar constellations. Curved meridian lines drawn for every half hour and numbered for every hour. Parallels of declination drawn and line of the ecliptic divided to zodiac sign.

good condition

References

Events