[Looks like a planetarium projector mount to me, but you guys on Sundial-L are surely the group to know. Please reply also to Mr Blankenhorn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> directly.]
Bill Thayer ***** Date: Sun, 06 Jul 1997 22:27:18 +0000 From: "R.C. Blankenhorn" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I have obtained an instrument that I cannot identify. It is English, probably late 4th quarter 19th century, unsigned. The 9 3/4" diameter circular base plate is made of mahogany and mounted on 4 heavy lacquered brass bun feet, with a heavy 3/8" wide brass ring screwed around the edge. The base plate has a varnished paper top, with scales around the edge - hours (I - XXIV) and minutes (0 - 60) for each hour, months (JAN - DEC) and days of the month (1 - 28/30/31). Mounted on top of the base plate, 3/4" above it, is a 7" diameter back surfaced mirror. In the center of the mirror is a mounting boss for a heavy knurled screw to mount the 9 1/2" long x 5/8" wide double-sided pointer. One side of the pointer has a 3" long narrow slot in it, the other side has the same 3" long narrow slot with 2 small fittings that have holes in them in the line of the slot that could possible have held something like a vane mounted on a wire. The apparatus is in very good overall condition, missing whatever originally went in the fittings. The apparatus was housed in a 11 1/2" square x 5" deep hand dovetailed mahogany box, with no other fittings except a second knurled screw identical to the one used to mount the pointer. Following are links to a picture of the entire object and a closeup of the edge showing the scales. http://www.gemmary.com/rcb/temp/whatsit.jpg http://www.gemmary.com/rcb/temp/whatsit2.jpg Can anyone identify this object for me and/or provide a reference for it. Thank you. R.C. Blankenhorn The Gemmary [EMAIL PROTECTED] *****
