Accession No

0261

Brief Description

gunter quadrant and horizontal dial, by Edmund Culpeper, English, 1700 (c)

Origin

England; London

Maker

Culpeper, Edmund

Class

dials

Earliest Date

1700

Latest Date

1700

Inscription Date

Material

metal (brass)

Dimensions

157mm (quadrant radius) 110mm (dial diameter); 67mm (dial height)

Special Collection

Provenance

This object was transferred from the Geography Department, to whom it had been “presented by a friend of the Department.”

Inscription

‘E.C.’
‘Lat 52 gr 50m’

Description Notes

Obverse: Gunter quadrant projection for latitude 52˚ 50´N. Date scale divided to month (marked by initial), subdivided to 1 day (1st Aries = March 9 1/2). Ecliptic arc divided to zodiac sign, subdivided to 1˚. Horizon arc divided [0] - [41˚], numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚. Circumference degree scale divided [0] - 90˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 20´. Curved hour lines divided VI - XII, I - VIII, numbered by I, with half-hour lines. Curved azimuth lines divided [0] - 120˚ for every 10˚. Various stars plotted on the projection (see history file). Geometric square divided [0] - 50 - [0], numbered by 10, subdivided to 1.
Reverse: decoratively engraved. Degree scale divided 0 - 90˚ - 0 - 90˚ - 0, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚. Central rotatable disc engraved as a horizontal dial with hour scale divided IIII - XII, I - VIII, numbered by I, subdivided to 7 1/2 minutes. Pierced gnomon sliding into a dove-tailed shoe.
Beneath the sundial disc are trial engravings (aka graffiti, aka engraver's doodles) including 3 faces, decoration and signatures.

Good condition.

References

Events