horizontal dial;
sundial;
diptych-dial;
compass-dial
- Museum number
- 1958,1006.2415
- Description
-
The OUTER sides of both leaves of this oval bone diptych-dial are blank; lines on the inner surfaces are filled in green colour.
The INNER side of the UPPER LEAF has a decoration of tangent circles and an inscribed date, whose last digit is unclear.
On the INNER side of the LOWER LEAF is a compass (needle detached) marked 'S' (for Septentrio) and 'M' (for Meridies) with hour lines for a horizontal string gnomon dial inscribed around it. The hour lines mark common hours from V to XII to VII with dots for the half hour. The lower leaf, containing the compass well, is badly cracked across.
A small catch near the hinge keeps the dial open when in use.
- Production date
- 16thC(late) (1592? or 1594? see Inscription)
- Dimensions
-
Length: 62 millimetres
-
Thickness: 18 millimetres
-
Width: 50 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- This oval dial resembles the style of 16th-century Nuremberg makers but the work is quite crude.
The date engraved on the inside of the upper leaf refers to the last decade of the 16th century, but the last figure cannot be read.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
-
Latest: 3 (Oct 2016)
-
Check condition of ivory. Compass needle broken and loose in well. Glass damaged.
- Acquisition date
- 1958
- Acquisition notes
- The Ilbert Collection of clocks, prints and other related material was destined to be sold at Christie's auction house on 6th-7th November 1958. As a result of the generous donation of funds by Gilbert Edgar CBE the sale was cancelled and the material purchased privately from the beneficiaries of the Ilbert Estate.
Ilbert's watches were then acquired with further funds from Gilbert Edgar CBE, public donations and government funds. These were then registered in the series 1958,1201.
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 1958,1006.2415
- Additional IDs
-
Previous owner/ex-collection number: CAI.2415 (Ilbert Collection)
-
Previous owner/ex-collection number: Q275 (Ilbert Ledger)