Details
A 17th-Century Nuremberg ivory diptych dial, signed LEONHART MILLER and dated 1637
FACE Ia upper leaf, outer face: sixteen point wind rose in brown with directions abbreviated in German gothic script, the surrounding scale numbered 1-32 and the names of the winds in Italian LEVANTE, SIROCHO, OSTRO, LEBECHIO, PONENTE, MASTRO, TRAMONTAN, GRECO, the brass indicator in the form of an arrow, sun-face motif at the centre, with green and red foliate decoration, aperture, four brass bun feet, two brass hooks.
FACE Ib upper leaf, inner face: pin gnomon dial labelled QVANTITAS DIEI and graduated 1-16 in red to show the hours, with symbols for the signs of the Zodiac in black and sun and stars motifs in red (Gouk p.118, fig.105, marks 13 and 15), foliate decoration in red and green, five positions for string gnomon at latitudes 42, 45, 48, 51 and 54 degrees labelled in black, table of cities (see below), two pins (one glued in place).
FACE IIb lower leaf, inner face: horizontal dial with scales for the five different latitudes labelled 4-12-8 around the outside and labelled SOLI DEO GLORIA, the compass with brass-capped iron needle, north marked in the bowl with an inscribed arrow, pin gnomon dial (pin missing) for Babylonian hours, labelled 1-14 in red, and Italian hours, labelled 10-23 in black, the date inscribed above, the signature below, with further sun, stars and moon motifs (Gouk p.118, fig.105, mark 8), foliate decoration in red and green, brass wind vane clip (wind vane missing), two brass hooks (old crack just over half the length of the dial, going through to FACE IIb).
FACE IIb lower leaf, outer face: punched brass rotating lunar volvelle with pointer showing astrological aspects and scales 1-12 twice, surrounding scales labelled 1-12 twice in red (inner) and 1-29 in black (outer), the surround labelled DER NEY MON with full moon motif (Gouk p.118, fig.105, mark 25), DAS ERST VIERTEL with crescent moon motif (Gouk p.118, fig.105, mark 7), VOL MON with full moon, and DAS LETZ VIERTEL with crescent moon, foliate decoration in green and red, very faint initials LM with fleur-de-lys maker's mark (Gouk p.117, fig.104, mark [?]15) near the hinge, four brass bun feet, two brass pins for hooks (same crack as on FACE IIa extending almost the whole length of the face) -- 4.1/8in. (10cm.) long
See Colour Illustration and Details
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