----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2003 12:51
PM
Subject: Re: R. Glynne Smithsonian dial
replica
Hi Woody,
Great you have a copy of the Glynne
replica.
About Glynne I have the text:
------
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.
------
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
----- Original Message -----
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
> -
>
