Accession No

1739

Brief Description

pillar dial; French; 18th century

Origin

France

Maker

Class

dials

Earliest Date

1700

Latest Date

1800

Inscription Date

Material

ivory; metal (silver); wood (boxwood)

Dimensions

height 140mm; base diameter 33mm; case height 166mm; max diameter 46mm

Special Collection

Holden-White 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. 1935-93.

Inscription

Description Notes

Ivory cylinder; turned finial tapped to take twine suspension loop. Cylinder tapped to take folding silver gnomon. Calibrated with ‘half-phase’ sinusoidal hour lines divided V - XII, I - VII, numbered by I. Straight date lines with months marked, divided to 10 days; zodiac signs marked at bottom (1st Aries = 22 March).
Wooden case with screw-top lid and Holden-White number on sticker on base.

Condition: good.

References

Events