An unusual early 18th-Century French gilt-brass horizontal inclining compass sundial,

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An unusual early 18th-Century French gilt-brass horizontal inclining compass sundial,
unsigned, the inclining hour plate with Roman numerals III-XII, I-VIII, the folding gnomon with engraved foliate decoration, two small holes, and index to read against the folding latitude arc scale, graduated on one side 0°-70°, with divisions from -5°-82°, the horizontal plate engraved on the upper surface with the latitudes of eighteen continental cities and towns and with a glazed compass box, the base engraved with SUD, OUEST, NORT and EST and twelve further subdivisions, with central engraved rose, blued-steel needle and brass cap, the underside of the compass box with decoratively engraved rose, the underside of the horizontal plate engraved with the latitudes of a further eighteen cities and towns and a short baluster turned foot, in the original fitted, green plush-lined shagreen-covered wooden case with brass catch (defective) and two brass hooks and eyes -- 4 3/8in. (11.1cm.) wide

See Colour Illustration and Details

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

TABLE OF LATITUDES
UPPER SIDE
Paris 48-31 [?Liu]ourne 43-28
Londres 51-31 Calais 50-57
Dantzig 44-22 Lisbonne 38-45
Amiens 49-54 Abbeuille 50-7
Stokolme 59-20 Larochelle 46 10
Anuere 51-14 Portobelo 9 33
Madrid 40-26 Marseille 43 19
Anger 47-20 Quanton 23 8
Lyon 45-45 Cenes 44 25

UNDER SIDE
Milan 45-20 Ierusalem 50 31
Copenhague 55 41 Lisle 50-40
Candie 35-18 Rouen 50
Alexandris 31-11 Alger 35-51
Bruxelles 50-51 Naples 41-5
Babilone 43-30 Malte 35-54
Perpignan 42-44 Bres 48-23
Orleans 47-[..] Siam 14-18
Turin 4[...] [...]e 41-54

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