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Dear Sundial Friends,
I am trying to find more information
about several early wooden pocket sundials. At least 9 of
these are known, (Portsmouth and Bury St Edmunds), coming from the same
area of Europe, possibly from the same workshop. They date from c1550.
They are turned from wood and are 30 - 35mm in diameter, have a sunken
compass bowl to the south of about 12mm diameter and a hinged metal gnomon with
two holes in it so that it can be attached to the base by two wire loops.
Some gnomons are marked with letters such as M. The dial plates are
marked with a series of rings and are punched with Arabic numerals and various
decorative motifs. They would originally have had turned wooden lids of
which most have been lost. Some of their cases have been decorated with
paint and various carved detail. These dials are quite inaccurate and
may have been the first mass produced dials ever. From stylistic grounds
they could have been made in S Germany, possibly Nuremberg. It
is possible that they are the forerunners of the Nuremberg ivory
dials.
I want to establish where these dials were
made and whether there are any more in captivity in museums or collections, most
probably in Germany.
A JPEG picture of one can be sent on
request.
Regards, Mike Cowham Cambridge UK |
