Accession No

1692

Brief Description

magnetic azimuth dial; made by Ephraim Senecal; 3/4 17th century

Origin

Dieppe; France

Maker

Senecal. Ephraim

Class

dials

Earliest Date

1650

Latest Date

1675

Inscription Date

Material

ivory; metal (brass, steel, silvered brass, silver); glass; rope (string)

Dimensions

width 82mm; depth 94mm; height 19mm

Special Collection

Holden-White collection

Provenance

On loan from The Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge. Donated by Charles Holden-White to the Fitzwilliam Museum. Holden-White collection no. 1935-46.

Inscription

‘Ephraim Senecal ADieppe Fecit’

Description Notes

Ivory tablets with brass fittings and silvered brass volvelles. Corners of all faces decorated with a rose and lily motif.
Leaf Ia: equinoctial dial divided 1 - 12, 1 - 12, numbered by 1. Pin gnomon missing.
Leaf Ib: southern half of equinoctial dial divided as before, with central silvered brass lunar volvelle with lunar age scale and inner disc revealing graphical representation of moon’s phase. Latitude scale on RHS divided 0 - 80˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 5˚, 0 - 70˚ subdivided to 1˚.
Leaf IIa: horizontal dial for 45˚ N with hour scale divided 4, 5, VI - XII, I - VI, 7, 8, numbered by I or 1, subdivided to 15 minutes from VI to VI. Inset compass with paper card printed from engraved plate; degree scale divided 0 - 90˚ - 0 - 90˚ - 0, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 2˚; 32-point rose and fleur-de-lys for North; table of towns and latitudes (see history file); elliptical silver hour scale divided V - XII, I - VII, numbered by I. Brass latitude arm in RHS.
Leaf IIb: Silvered brass calendar plate rotating to adjust the elliptical hour scale with central perpetual calendar.
Compartment for pin gnomon on side of lower leaf.

fair condition

References

Events