Dear shadow-watchers,
As part of my function in the British Sundial Society, I have been
informed of an 18th century double horizontal sundial of historic
interest that the UK owner is wishing to find a new home for, and where
it will be appreciated.
It is a signed instrument N. WITHAM FECIT, made in brass. There is also
a stone pedestal. .
If you are interested, please contact the owner (John Forward) direct on
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
John Davis kindly gave me some information:
Nathaniel Witham was a London mathematical instrument and sundial maker,
born 1700, believed to have been still working in 1735. BSS has records
of a number of his dials, and one is listed in the Catalogue of The
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, pp29.3-29.67 - Sundials and
Nocturnals - D.223/36-32C. there is information about Witham in two
references: Clifton, Gloria, /Directory of British Scientific Instrument
Makers/, National Maritime Museum & Zwemmer 1995 p.302; Taylor, E.G.
/The Mathematical Practitioners of Hanoverian England/ /1714 - 1840/, CP
(1966) p.150. His premises were in Chancery Lane and his surviving dial
plates are soundly made, but otherwise, little is known of him.
Gatty refers to a Nath: Witham dial, p.114.
David Brown
Somerton, Somerset, UK
---------------------------------------------------
https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
