horizontal dial;
inclining dial;
sundial;
compass-dial;
instrument-case
- Museum number
- 1926,1016.9
- Description
-
Horizontal inclining compass dial; brass; sharkskin case; compass-plate and rim silvered; dial rests on three levelling screws; horizontal dial for latitude 60 degrees, inclinable to suit latitudes 0-60 degrees, hinged to compass box; skeleton dial centre and folding gnomon; compass box with erectable sights and hinged arc for setting the tilt of dial-plate; signed on hour-ring.
Case also contains visiting card of Lt-Col Lyons, slip of paper recording information regarding retailer and maker; note concerning direction of compass-needle.
- Production date
- 1715-1725
- Dimensions
-
Height: 45 millimetres
-
Length: 135 millimetres
-
Width: 125 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- Ward 1981 54
A horizontal dial for latitude 60° inclinable to suit latitudes 0°-60°, hinged to a compass box. The dial-plate with Roman hour-numerals, half-hour marks, and divided to five minute intervals. Skeleton dial centre with three straight bars and leafy scrolls, all decorately engraved. The folding gnonom for 60° also in skeleton form and engraved.
The compass box with a raised rim 6 mm broad and divided to whole degrees, numbered every ten, 0-90-0-90-0, with zero at true north and south, and with lozenge-shaped marks at the intervening five degrees. The divisions 30-0-30 around true north are repeated as vertical lines on the inside of the compass box. The bottom of the box is marked with four cardinal points N, E, S, W, and there is an arrow with tail for declination N17½° W. Mounted on the top rim of the compass box area pair of erectable sights for taking horizontal bearings, and on a protrusion to,the west a hinged arc is mounted, graduated 0°-60° divided to half- and to whole degrees, numbered every ten, for setting the tilt of the dial-plate to suit the latitude, the 60° reading corresponding to zero tilt.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
-
Latest: 4 (Nov 2016)
-
5 (Oct 1995) Verdigris on dial-plate and gnomon.
- Acquisition date
- 1926
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 1926,1016.9