Epact Scientific Instruments of Medieval and Renaissance Europe

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Nocturnal And Sundial
Unsigned
Dated 1554; French
Gilt brass; 54 mm in diameter

Central disc with openwork scrolled mount, cut from the same plate, carrying an eye for a suspension ring. The body of the plate is engraved with a zodiacal calendar (with 0? Aries at 10.5 March) reading respectively to 5? and 5 days anti-clockwise. At the centre is a volvelle toothed around two thirds of its circumference, the teeth being numbered IIII to XII to VIII. The centre of the volvelle is filled with symmetrical flowing leaf decoration.

The reverse of the instrument is engraved with a vertical plate dial with folding pin-gnomon carried on a plate that may be rotated within the circumference of the instrument marked 'CIRCVLVS [star] MERIDIANVS [star]' and engraved with a latitude quadrant reading to 2?. A calendar scale is engraved next to the pin-gnomon and the hours are numbered opposite I to VIII / IIII to XII reading to 30 minutes. The remaining free space in the circumference carries the date.

Anthony J. Turner

Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza, Firenze
Inventory no. 2501

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