Diptych sundial (detail)

Add to album

Diptych sundials have two plates hinged together, and in use open out to form a right angle, with the string hinge operating as a gnomon. This ivory example was made in the 17th century in Dieppe in France. The photograph shows the inside of the base.

The sunk compass is surrounded by a horizontal dial. Below the compass needle is a card giving names of French towns and information about them. There is also a magnetic agimuth scale which works together with the revolving disc on the base of the dial.

In the 16th century ivory diptych sundials came from three main centres: Nuremburg and Augsberg in Germany, and Dieppe in France. However, those made in France were rarely signed or dated.

Record details

To search on related items, click any underlined text below.

• Online ID: 000-190-001-025-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1924.13
• Date: 17th century
  
• Material: Ivory, metal disc. Inscription: [On base] Names of French towns with information concerning them
  Sundial, universal
  
• Dimensions: 2.88" x 2.38"
  
• What: Sundial, universal
  
• Subject: 20. TIME MEASUREMENT, Sundials (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who:
• Where: FRANCE
  France, Dieppe
  
• Event:
• Description: French universal sundial in ivory, book form, base with sunk compass surrounded by horizontal dial, analemmatic dial, moon dial and equinoctial and polar dials, unsigned, Dieppe, 17th century
  
• References:
  • For a similar example, see Lloyd, Steven A., Ivory Diptych Sundials 1570-1750. London & Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard, 1992. p 128, also pp 116-7 
• Translations:
• Related Records: