Jim: Morristown, N.J. has a pocket dial used by George Washington and the visitor center at Washington Crossing, Pa. has a few small ones on display. anthony
-----Original Message----- From: Jim Tallman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, May 24, 1999 8:49 AM To: Luke Coletti Cc: [email protected] Subject: Re: Sundials and Culture I wonder if anyone knows of any early American sundials, perhaps from Williamsburg or other early colonial areas? Jim Tallman, FX Studios. ---------- > From: Luke Coletti <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Roger Bailey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: sundial <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: Sundials and Culture > Date: Friday, May 21, 1999 2:02 PM > > Hello Roger, > > I'm sure there is little anyone (including me) could disagree with in > your message. However, I would contest the point about America having no > tradition(s), we have a GREAT tradition of individualism, therefore I > believe the personal aspect of a dial should be put first, not last! ;) > > Vive' La Difference... > > -Luke > > > Roger Bailey wrote: > > > > At 09:34 AM 5/3/99 +0200, fer j. de vries wrote: > > > > > >But please, have in mind we are dealing with sundials, not with > > >instruments to read a time in parts of a second or minute. > > > > > >Don't forget the history of sundials. How did people the things at their > > >time? > > >In our time we have other instruments to measure time as precisely and > > >accurate as we want. > > >A sundial still has to reflect to the older times and a suntime hour is > > >irregular in length. > > > > > Hello Fer and all, > > > > I agree. We have to consider the historical use of sundials. In North > > America sundials are not a traditional part of our culture. For us they are > > interesting technical artifacts without links to our history or artistic > > and architectural traditions. > > > > On this theme I gave a presentation at a recent NASS conference entitled > > "The Most Important Things for Sundial Design are Location, Location and > > Location." The first location factor is Scientific: what are the > > mathematics of the design for a specific latitude, longitude and > > orientation. Most of the discussion on this list involves this scientific > > location factor. > > > > The second location factor is Cultural: what are the architectural and > > artistic traditions of this area to be considered in the design of the > > dial? An English country garden is a very different setting compared to an > > alpine village square or a majestic cathedral. The traditional design of > > vertical declining dials of France has been carried to Quebec and the > > Austrian style has been adopted on appropriate houses in the mountain > > community where I live. > > > > The third location factor is Personal: what are the unique personal > > interests of the owner or designer and how are they reflected in the > > design? I have designed a dial based on a family crest and a dial for an > > alpine hut based on mountaineer's ice axe. Each design can be unique and > > consider the three location factors. > > > > For the next three weeks I am abandoning the discussions on factor one > > (Science) and will be concentrating on factor two (Culture). My wife thinks > > we are on vacation but I will be chasing sundials in "La France Profond" > > armed with my "Cadrans Solaires Francais Catalogue" from the "Societe > > Astronomique de France". I am looking forward to irregular times. > > > > A bientot, > > > > Roger Bailey > > Walking Shadow Designs > > heading for N 44:38 E 2:03
