Accession No

0319

Brief Description

universal mechanical equinoctial dial, by Claude Dunod, German, 1713

Origin

Germany; Düsseldorf

Maker

Dunod, Claude

Class

dials

Earliest Date

1713

Latest Date

1713

Inscription Date

1713

Material

metal (gilt-brass, silver); glass

Dimensions

length 87mm; breadth 64mm; thickness 22mm

Special Collection

Robert Whipple collection

Provenance

Purchased from Gertrude Hamilton (trading as ’Mercator’), Paris, in 08/1928.

Inscription

‘CLAVDE DVNOD DVSSELDORF’ [D of Dunod obliterated by an overstamped F]

Description Notes

Gilt-brass octagonal base plate set on 3 turned feet. Base plate decoratively engraved on both sides with border and leafy scroll pattern with birds. Inset compass with silvered base; cardinal points marked in Latin; magnetic variation marked at 9˚W of N. On reverse of base plate a cam-operated ‘latitude’ stop, the scale divided 20˚ - 70˚, numbered by 10˚, subdivided to 1˚. Reverse of compass carries table of towns and latitudes and is marked ‘De la Hauteur da Pole 1713’.
Hour plate has circumference cut with teeth meshing into the alidade. Hour circle divided I - XII, I - XII, numbered by I, subdivided to 15 minutes. Centre of the plate pierced and engraved with foliate scrolls and birds. Alidade decoratively engraved and carrying silver minute dial divided [0] - 60 minutes, numbered by 5 minutes, subdivided to 1 minute. Silver gnomon.

Condition: good.

References

Events