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Details
A late 16th-Century French gilt-brass nocturnal,
unsigned, dated 1588, the front with an outer band giving the hour scale IIII-XII-VIII, the next band with the moon's age in days 1-29, divided in half days, rotating over this band the volvelle with a small index in the edge for setting the age of the moon, a circle cut in the volvelle to show the moon's phase, the edge of the volvelle with hour scale II-XII-VIII and corresponding hour lines, a gnomon at the centre hinged to lift to the vertical, with an angle of approximately 49°, this side of the instrument being used to check the time by day and by night through the moon's shadow and age, the suspension bracket at the top of the instrument with tiny magnetic compass with swivel cover, ½in. (1.2cm.) dia., the glass held by a brass split ring, the straight blued-iron needle with brass boss, the cardinal directions indicated by the initials S, O, M, O, the reverse of the instrument being the nocturnal, with a central hole to permit sighting the Pole Star and a rotating index to align with Kochab (_ Ursa minor), inscribed .LIGNE.DE.FOY, the outer band of the disc divided into the Zodiac, with each sign to 30° at 2° intervals, the names abbreviated and written in capitals, ARIE, TAVR, GEMI, CANC, LEO, VIRG, LIBR, SCOR, SAGIT, CAPR, AQV, PICES, the inner band giving the calendar, each month divided in 2-day intervals to 30 days, including February, the relatively small size of the instrument rendering the inaccuracy of little importance and simplifying manufacture, the month names abbreviated and written in capitals MAR, AVR, MAI, IEV, IEV [sic], AVS, SEP, OCT, NOV, DEC, IAN, FEV, the names of both Zodiac and months coloured alternately in red and black (most of the red now disappeared) -- 2in. (5.3cm.) diameter
See Colour Illustrations
unsigned, dated 1588, the front with an outer band giving the hour scale IIII-XII-VIII, the next band with the moon's age in days 1-29, divided in half days, rotating over this band the volvelle with a small index in the edge for setting the age of the moon, a circle cut in the volvelle to show the moon's phase, the edge of the volvelle with hour scale II-XII-VIII and corresponding hour lines, a gnomon at the centre hinged to lift to the vertical, with an angle of approximately 49°, this side of the instrument being used to check the time by day and by night through the moon's shadow and age, the suspension bracket at the top of the instrument with tiny magnetic compass with swivel cover, ½in. (1.2cm.) dia., the glass held by a brass split ring, the straight blued-iron needle with brass boss, the cardinal directions indicated by the initials S, O, M, O, the reverse of the instrument being the nocturnal, with a central hole to permit sighting the Pole Star and a rotating index to align with Kochab (_ Ursa minor), inscribed .LIGNE.DE.FOY, the outer band of the disc divided into the Zodiac, with each sign to 30° at 2° intervals, the names abbreviated and written in capitals, ARIE, TAVR, GEMI, CANC, LEO, VIRG, LIBR, SCOR, SAGIT, CAPR, AQV, PICES, the inner band giving the calendar, each month divided in 2-day intervals to 30 days, including February, the relatively small size of the instrument rendering the inaccuracy of little importance and simplifying manufacture, the month names abbreviated and written in capitals MAR, AVR, MAI, IEV, IEV [sic], AVS, SEP, OCT, NOV, DEC, IAN, FEV, the names of both Zodiac and months coloured alternately in red and black (most of the red now disappeared) -- 2in. (5.3cm.) diameter
See Colour Illustrations