Inventory no. 39980 - Former Display Label
German STRING-GNOMON HORIZONTAL DIAL
Late 16th century
Gilt copper and brass, and silver. Signed, on the North edge of the hour-plate, "Erasmus Habermel Fec."; undated.
The string-gnomon (for latitude c.48°) is attached to a folding gnomon support, in the centre of which formerly hung a plummet for levelling the dial. In the centre of the hour-plate is a compass, with a silver compass-plate marked with a magnetic deviation line of 9°E. (c.1550); surrounding the compass-plate is a circular scale engraved with 180 divisions. Between the compass and the hour-lines is a circular scale, divided with transversals for reading minutes. Inset in the hour-plate at the South end is a volvelle for the conversion of time from ordinary hours to Italian, Bohemian, Nuremberg and planetary hours, inscribed, "HORA 24 TRADVCTA AD HORAM ORTVS SOLIS INDICAT HORAS ITALICAS & NORICAS DIVRNAS: AD OCCASVM BOHEMICAS & NORIBERGENSES NOCTVRNAS: AD MERIDIEM VERO ASTRONOMICAS." The hour-plate is inscribed, "OMNIA PERVERTIT SAECLI MVTABILIS ORDO." Underneath the hour-plate are engraved concentric Zodiac/calendar scales and two circular tables giving the time of sunrise throughout the year in ordinary and Italian hours. Parts of this instrument appear to be modern. There is a similar dial by Habermel in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.
Formerly in the Chadenat Collection
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Billmeir Collection