> Can anyone help with an instrument maker called (Michael?) > Butterfield (around late 17th century)? Possibly two of them, e.g. > father and son. It is suggested they worked in York (U.K). Any > information welcomed.
Michael (or Michel) Butterfield was English. About 1680 he settled in Paris and worked for the French kings and court. He was called "King's Engineer" (Ingenieur du Roy). He invented a sundial type which later was simply known as "Butterfield" as he signed his dials. Many manufacturers tried to imitate Butterfield's works. They even signed their sundials with Butterfields name. Sometimes this imitations are easy to distinguish because of errors in the name. eg. in the sundial museum in Jedrzejow (Poland) there are original "Butterfields" and there are also good imitations, signed ``BUTTEFILD" with considerable errors. Best regards Krzysztof Kotynia
