- Museum number
- 1855,1201.227
- Description
-
The OUTSIDE of the UPPER LEAF of this brass, spade-shaped astronomical compendium contains a nocturnal with the hinge at about 20th August. The nocturnal arm, now detached, is engraved 'REGVLA NOCTIS · ·'; it is lined on the borders and has a Gothic end. The calendar scale on the limb has the names of the months engraved in Latin, sometimes abbreviated; each month is divided into 10 and numbered as appropriate. The equinoxes are at 10th March and 8th September. The rotating hour ring is engraved with the hours ('HORAE NOCTIS') from 6 to 12 to 3, and with small touch pins every hour. Small apertures show the length of the day ('DIES QVANTITAS') and of the night ('NOCTIS QVANTITAS'), from 8 to 16 to 8, and the times of sunrise and sunset ('SOLIS ORTVS' and 'SOLIS OCCAS{V}') from 4 to 8 to 5. The rest of the space is engraved with strapwork and foliage.
The INSIDE of the leaf has a rotating pierced volvelle and aspectarium: the volvelle has an arm for converting lunar hours, engraved 1 to 12 twice, and solar hours engraved I to XII twice. The volvelle is surrounded by the names of the 12 main winds in Latin: 'BOREAS', 'AQVILO', 'CECIAS', 'SVBSOLAN', 'VOLITVR', 'EVROAVS', 'AVSTER', 'LIBONOT', 'APHRICVS', 'CHORVS', 'CIRCIVS'. The rest of the space is engraved with strapwork.
The INSIDE of the BOX has a COMPASS with the cardinal points abbreviated 'SE', 'OR', 'ME', 'OC', and a STRING GNOMON DIAL with common hours engraved from 7 to 12 to 5. The hour lines are engraved on two curved pieces, which can be adjusted for latitude 33°, 36°, 39°, 42°, 45°, 48°, 51°, 54°, 57°. The hour lines 4 and 5 a.m. and 7 and 8 p.m. are engraved on the main box below the sliding arcs. The numbers 6, 12 and 6 corresponding to the hour lines are engraved on the three knobs. The rest of the space is engraved with strapwork and foliage. The other side of the central part, containing the back of the compass and a mechanism for holding the string, is decorated with strapwork and foliage.
The INSIDE of the opposite LID has a Rojas projection of the sphere. On the rim is a scale of degrees in four quadrants, divided to 10. Eleven main longitudes are engraved and numbered, as are the poles ('POLVS ARCTI' and 'POLVS ANTAR{CTICI}'), and the zodiacal signs. The ALIDADE is engraved 'LINAE FIDUTZIAE [sic]'. The rest of the space is decorated with strapwork and foliage.
The OUTSIDE of the LID has a volvelle for conversion of planetary hours, engraved from 12 to 6 to 12, into common hours, engraved from VI to XII to (VI). A concentric ring, next to the centre, is inscribed '• • • HORAE PLANETARVM DIES ET NOCTIS • • '. An eccentric ring has a calendar scale, divided to 10, numbered as appropriate. The rest of the space is decorated with strapwork and foliage.
The instrument rests on three bun feet, and a catch on both lids keeps them closed when not in use. The limb of the compendium is decorated with strapwork and a foliate motif like that found on the rest of the instrument. On the top is a ring for suspension.
- Production date
- 1565-1575 (ca.1570?)
- Dimensions
-
Length: 70 millimetres
-
Thickness: 12 millimetres
-
Width: 53 millimetres
- Curator's comments
-
The same type of Arabic style decoration is found on a very fine (and complete) compendium signed by Christoph Schissler on loan to the Greenwich Maritime Museum, reg. no. AST0206, as well as on the compendium in the British Museum collection, reg. no. 1867,0705.23, also signed by Schissler; see H. Higton, Sundials at Greenwich, Oxford 2002, no. 294, pp. 300-1.
-
This elaborate astronomical compendium comprises among other devices a nocturnal, a volvelle for converting lunar and solar time, and a string gnomon dial, the last of which can be adjusted for latitude by two curved bands sliding in grooves: a very unusual, if not unique, design.
This instrument is very similar to another compendium [this one signed by Schissler] in the collection of the British Museum: Epact 73378 [BM reg. no. 1867,0705.23].
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
1997-2007: ‘A Glimpse of a Universe-Scientific Instruments from Renaissance Germany’ (British Museum, Gallery 44)
- Condition
- Latest: 2 (Mar 2017)
- Acquisition date
- 1855
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 1855,1201.227
- Additional IDs
-
Miscellaneous number: BL.3956 (Bernal Collection)
