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| "E.C." Sector for Sundial Design | Click on any image for a larger view. Scroll to view more items. |
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| FINE SUNDIAL-MAKING SECTOR, English, c. 1700,
signed discretely "E.C." This thin brass sector is 6-3/8"
(16 cm) long (closed), opening on twin little alignment stubs and with a
three-leaf sector hinge beautifully engraved with a lovely floral swirl.
It is hand engraved on both sides with numerous mathematical scales, specifically
the twinned sector scales of Sin(es), Lin(es), sec(ants), Tan(gents), Cho(rds),
and Polygons. And rather than scales of logarithms, inches, etc., there
are prominently located four scales for laying out of sundials: Hours, I(nclination
of) M(eridians), Chor(ds), and Lat(itudes). The numerals are distinctively
hand engraved (note for example the very abbreviated lower stroke of the
"7"), except that a "o" punch was used to help form
the "6, 8, 9" shapes. Condition is excellent, the brass with a
light brown patina. The craftsmanship and decoration are reminiscent of
certain late 17th century sectors by, e.g., Worgan (see Tesseract Catalogue
32, Item 47), and Edmund Culpeper (Tesseract Catalogue G, Item 55). The
present maker was evidently Edmund Culpeper senior, apprentice (in 1684)
and successor to Walter Hayes, master in the Grocer¹s company, and remarkable
craftsman of mathematical instruments (see Brown, 1979). We also note a
Culpeper protractor signed "EC Fe" (Tesseract Catalogue 77, Item
27). But before rushing to conclusions, see the interesting "E.C."
perpetual calendar in Tesseract Catalogue 52 (Item 5), and the discussion
of its possible maker. A very fine sector. (8205) $2200. |
| Exceptional Silver Pocket Dial | Click on any image for a larger view. Scroll to view more items. |
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| EXQUISITE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY SILVER DIAL BY
AN UNRECORDED MAKER, French, second half 17th century, signed "Morlet
à Paris," and indicating the latitude of Paris "Elevat. 49."
This all-silver sundial is round, 1-3/4" (45 mm) in diameter and almost
1/2" (12 mm) tall. The glazed compass has the principal directions
beautifully labeled (N, S, E, O). The chapter ring is divided every 15 minutes
from 4 am to 8 pm, and is engraved with lovely central rose, leaf tips,
and scroll ends. The folding gnomon, noting one little nick to the tip,
is exquisitely engraved on both sides with flowered and fruited plants.
A related pattern of decoration is found in the Louvre, on a 17th century
oval dial by Pierre Debombourg of Lyon. A really wonderful dial in fine
condition, by a splendid craftsman not otherwise found. (8142) $4950. |
| Time-Telling by Incense Trails | Click on any image for a larger view. Scroll to view more items. |
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| DRAGON BOAT TIMEKEEPER, Chinese, c. 19th century,
made of finely carved wood, 34" (86 cm) long. The well-carved dragon
has dramatic head and tail, and floral decoration throughout, and is clutching
balls (pearls?) in mouth and feet. It is finished in contrasting gold and
black lacquer, showing traces of red pigment underneath. Condition is good,
noting several losses to the wood, including one foot. In the hollow center
is a decorated wood support with two short horizontal metal rods -- from
this would presumably have hung a wire basket, or perhaps a pewter pan,
to support a straight stick of incense. Overall this dragon boat presents
extremely well and dramatically. This is a good example of the "dragon
boat alarm" described in great detail by Bedini in his book The Trail
of Time -- Time measurement with incense in East Asia (1994). Various forms
are known, some serving as simple "clocks" by noting the burnt
length of incense, some used with thin threads laid cross-wise over the
incense, the threads supporting tiny bells which fell noisily below the
vessel as each thread burned through, and some on wheels to cross the dinner
table. Bedini finds reference to the dragon boat alarm as early as 1100
A.D., and into much more recent times. (8225) $6950. |
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| Remarkable Pewter Sundial | Click on any image for a larger view. Scroll to view more items. |
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A SPHERICAL POLAR SUNDIAL, French, c. second half 18th century, made of pewter with brass gnomon, standing 14" (35 cm) overall. This intriguing spherical sundial reproduces the sense of earth in space, with armillary rings defining the celestial projection of the earth's equator, axis of rotation, and local meridian plane. The polar axis of the dial is inclined approximately 43° to the horizontal. The equatorial band is finely marked (with Roman numerals in raised relief) every hour from 5 am to 7 pm, and cleverly subdivided to 1/8 hour (7.5 minutes). The Roman numerals include "...IX, X, XI, XII, I..." for "...9, 10, 11, 12, 1,..." as usual, but also "V, IV, IIV, IIIV,..." for "5, 6, 7, 8,...;" in a curious reversed sense, either in error or in some sense of trying to follow the course of the day with the numeral writing. A rotatable sheet brass gnomon is hand cut and pierced with a sort of handle, and with banner and scroll design, reminiscent of some Alsatian patterns and workmanship. Within the band and rings is a 5" (13 cm) diameter glazed compass, with 32-point rose, again in relief, the 16 principal directionals labeled in French (e.g., Sud, E.S.E., S.S.O., N.Ouest). The "N.N.Ouest" pointer (at 15° west of North) is also labeled, curiously, "S.S.E meridiene" (this is a riddle we have not solved, although possibly representing the magnetic declination which in mid-18th century France was 15° - 20° west). The compass has a circumferential scale divided every degree, and is set with a blued steel needle with raised brass hub and faceted (!) pink stone on glass pivot. The compass directionals are reflected in the design of the attractive pewter stand, with its octagonal baluster and knobs, and eight-lobed base. Condition is very fine throughout, noting one screw replaced. |
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In use the polar dial would be set up with its compass north
point fleur-de-lys pointed toward the geographic north point on the horizon
(thus taking into account the offset of the needle -- the magnetic declination
-- toward magnetic north). |
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The polar axis would then be parallel to the earth's axis of rotation (when the user is at the correct latitude for this dial -- about 43° North -- corresponding to southernmost France, e.g., Perpignan or Marseilles). One rotates the brass gnomon until it is in line with the sun; the gnomon then casts a crisp shadow line on the equatorial hour band, giving immediately the apparent solar time. The dial thus models the geometry of the earth in space. This is an elaborate openwork form of the relatively rare spherical dial with rotatable gnomon, usually constructed with a solid sphere of turned stone or wood with sheet metal gnomon. We note an 18th century French example in the Stewart Museum, and a c. 1810 design by Thomas Jefferson for Monticello. A rare form, the first we have seen in pewter, and beautifully executed. $11,500. (7128) |
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| "for drawing Dials upon any Planes", by Bion himself | Click on any image for a larger view. Scroll to view more items. |
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| BION'S "MOBILE HORIZONTAL DIAL" FOR
CONSTRUCTION OF SUNDIALS, French, c. 1700, signed "N. Bion à Paris."
Made of brass, this horizontal sundial has a baseplate 4-1/2" (11.5
cm) square engraved with a full circle of degrees (0° - 90° in each quadrant,
starting from North and South), plus principal directions (marked "Sep,
Midi, Orient, Occid"), plus labels "declinaison du Midy a l'occident,"
etc., and along one side "Coté apliqué Au Mur," (i.e., "Side
applied to the wall"). Mounted to the plate is a circular horizontal
sundial engraved with chapter rings for 40°, 45°, and 50°, and set with
a hinged gnomon adjustable from 40° to 60° against a bird-form support.
The dial is also mounted with a glazed compass, with pointer moveable against
a ±30° scale of magnetic deviation from North. The dial has two peripheral
pin indices, and can be rotated over a ±90° range; a replaced string runs
freely from the center of rotation. Condition is good noting general wear
to the surfaces. This is a rare example of the sophisticated horizontal
sundial and declinatory of Nicholas Bion (1655 - 1733), author of the great
work (in 1709) on instrument construction and use. Quoting from Stone¹s
translation "The Use of this Instrument is for drawing Dials upon any
Planes, of whatsoever Situations (as on declining inclining Planes, or both)..."
One marks a horizontal line along a wall, for example, places the "side
applied to the wall" along the line, turns the circular dial to true
north, and extends the string along the gnomon's edge (set for one¹s latitude)
up to the wall, and marks that point as center of the new dial. One then
extends the string along each of the hour lines, marks points, then connects
the dots on the wall to form the new sundial. It is thus a geometrical projection
of Bion's hour lines upon the tilted surface of the "wall." Additional
projections fix the new gnomon's geometry. Several examples of this instrument
are known, mostly in museum collections (e.g., one in the Whipple by Haye,
and one in the NMM by Desfontaines). This is the first we have had, especially
significant as the work of Bion himself. (8103) $12,500. |
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| Chinese Incense "Clock" | Click on any image for a larger view. Scroll to view more items. |
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| INCENSE SEAL TIMEKEEPER, Chinese, 19th century.
Measuring 4-1/2² (11.5 cm) wide overall, the device consists of five elements
made of paktong and brass. The slightly asymmetric seal form rests in either
the crescent shaped base, or in a crescent shaped pan suspended over the
tall compartment, and topped by the lovely cover. The sides have engraved
floral, animal, and landscape designs, and the top is decoratively pierced
for ventilation. Condition is good noting a few losses to the piercing.
The incense seal had an important role in Chinese religious, civil, and
social life (see Bedini, The Trail of Time). It is known from the eighth
century, and was constructed in various forms. The template would be pressed
in fine ash, then incense powder laid down and tamped down, where its trail
would burn at a very regular rate for a long time. (8215) $950. |
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