Re: R. Glynne Smithsonian dial replica

[Fer J. de Vries]

Hi Woody,

 

Great you have a copy of the Glynne replica.

 

About Glynne I have the text:

 

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Richard Glynne (1681-1755), was apprenticed to Henry Wynne in 1696 in the Clockmakers' Company of which he became free in 1705 and was steward in 1725. He worked first at the sign of the Atlas and Hercules (1712-16) In Cheapside and subsequently (1718-29) opposite Salisbury Court in Fleet Street, London. On obtaining his freedom in 1705, he married Anne Lea, the daughter of the noted map and globe-sellers Philip and Anne Lea. From at least 1712 he was working in association if not in formal partnership, with his mother-in-law, advertising a new pair of globes in 1712, and publishing and marketing maps. In parallel with this activity, he made and sold 'all sorts of Mathematical instruments, either for Land or Sea, according to the newest improvements' as he stated in an advertisement in 1726. A variety of mathematical instruments by Glynne are indeed known. All are of high quality, with clean, well executed engraving uncluttered by extraneous decoration. Glynne's fine instruments recommended themselves to a fashionable clientèle, and he was sufficiently successful to be able to retire at the relatively early age of 49 in 1730, his stock being auctioned at the shop of the optician Edward Scarlett in the same year.

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In the early 1980's a small Dutch company wanted to make replicas of this dial.

They got good technical photographs of the Smithonian but wanted a new drawing for production of the dial.

 

I took the challenge and made the drawing by hand, scale 1:1. At that time I had no computer to help me.

Beneath the gnomon you find my name and the date 1982(?)

 

I had a problem with the minute marks so I made 2 minute marks.

One minute marks looked irrigular when I tried to draw them.

 

I had nothing to do with the production and some went wrong.

The angle of the gnomon is too large.

As I remember I calculated the dial for 51.5 degrees.

 

The gnomon isn't thick enough. Look at the gap at noon.

 

As I noted that the dial was rather glimmy the answer was "That sells better." 

 

I only once made such a drawing by hand.

It was a nice job once, I won't do it a second time.

 

 

Best wishes for now and 2004 with a lot of sun for our dials.  Fer.

 

 

Fer J. de Vries

 

De Zonnewijzerkring
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http://www.de-zonnewijzerkring.nl

 

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Eindhoven, Netherlands
lat.  51:30 N      long.  5:30 E

----- Original Message -----

From: "Woody Sullivan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

To: <sundial@rrz.uni-koeln.de>

Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2003 11:32 AM

Subject: R. Glynne Smithsonian dial replica

> For Christmas I've just received a nice-quality brass replica
> of a 30-cm diameter horizontal dial. It's inscribed "R. Glynne fecit"
> and the equation of time table gives evidence that it's on the Julian
> calendar, which England did not abandon until 1752.  Measuring the
> gnomon angle, I derive a design latitude of 54.3 deg, and from the
> angles of the hourlines, I get a design latitude of 52.5 deg (plus or
> minus 1 deg). This latter is consistent with London at 51.5 deg
> latitude.
>
> Does anyone know of the provenance of the original, which was
> apparently made by Mr. Glynne in England in the early 18th or late
> 17th c?
>
> Thanks and with best wishes to all for a peaceful 2004,
>
> Woody Sullivan
> ******************************************************************
> Prof. Woodruff T. Sullivan, III      Center for Astrobiology & Early Evolution
> Dept.  of Astronomy Box 351580
> Univ. of Washington                                      tel. 206-543-7773
> Seattle, WA 98195 USA                fax 206-685-0403
> -
>