A magnificent 17th Century Dutch gilded brass 'Holland Circle', signed in a cartouche Anthonius Hoevenaer Fecit Leydae, the outer rim with four fixed slit sights at the cardinal points thus forming a surveyor's cross, at the centre is a magnetic compass marked with 16 direction pointers, North indicated by a fleur-de-lys, then O, S, W, around the compass box turns the alidade, with a pair of sights, the ends of the alidade are pierced to permit reading the degree numbers, the lower half of the circle has a shadow square with two scales, 0 to 12 by ones, and 0 to 60 by ones, at the North is a shackle and ring for suspension when using the shadow square, the outer rim engraved with a pair of circles, each divided into 360° by ones, the outer circle marked at the half degrees, while the inner is marked at the full degrees (this an unusual procedure), every ten degrees are numbered, running in two sequences (clockwise and anticlockwise) from 360° at the North, there follow the names of the winds in two sequences: 16 in Latin and 32 in Dutch, the Latin read Aparctias, Aquilo, Greco, Caecias, Subsolanus, Vulturnus, Syrocho, Euroauster, Auster, Libonthus, Lebeccio, Africanus, Zephyrus, Corus, Magistralis, Circius, the Dutch cardinal names are: NOORD, OOST, ZVYD, WEST, and the intermediate points employ the common contractions, underneath is a tapered socket to fit over the head of a post or tripod, this is attached to the underside of the circle by four screws with heart-shaped heads and a compass joint attaches to the socket, the joint is provided with a pair of holes to accept a tightening key and can be fixed at its desired setting by a screw with a heart-shaped head, the main plate finely engraved and pierced with scrolling foliage and latticework, except for the East-West bar and the alidade, which are deeply incised in a similar pattern, North of centre is a lattice monogram that incorporates the letters A V M, the top of the cartouche has a grotesque faceSee Colour Plate and detail

A magnificent 17th Century Dutch gilded brass 'Holland Circle', signed in a cartouche Anthonius Hoevenaer Fecit Leydae, the outer rim with four fixed slit sights at the cardinal points thus forming a surveyor's cross, at the centre is a magnetic compass marked with 16 direction pointers, North indicated by a fleur-de-lys, then O, S, W, around the compass box turns the alidade, with a pair of sights, the ends of the alidade are pierced to permit reading the degree numbers, the lower half of the circle has a shadow square with two scales, 0 to 12 by ones, and 0 to 60 by ones, at the North is a shackle and ring for suspension when using the shadow square, the outer rim engraved with a pair of circles, each divided into 360° by ones, the outer circle marked at the half degrees, while the inner is marked at the full degrees (this an unusual procedure), every ten degrees are numbered, running in two sequences (clockwise and anticlockwise) from 360° at the North, there follow the names of the winds in two sequences: 16 in Latin and 32 in Dutch, the Latin read Aparctias, Aquilo, Greco, Caecias, Subsolanus, Vulturnus, Syrocho, Euroauster, Auster, Libonthus, Lebeccio, Africanus, Zephyrus, Corus, Magistralis, Circius, the Dutch cardinal names are: NOORD, OOST, ZVYD, WEST, and the intermediate points employ the common contractions, underneath is a tapered socket to fit over the head of a post or tripod, this is attached to the underside of the circle by four screws with heart-shaped heads and a compass joint attaches to the socket, the joint is provided with a pair of holes to accept a tightening key and can be fixed at its desired setting by a screw with a heart-shaped head, the main plate finely engraved and pierced with scrolling foliage and latticework, except for the East-West bar and the alidade, which are deeply incised in a similar pattern, North of centre is a lattice monogram that incorporates the letters A V M, the top of the cartouche has a grotesque face See Colour Plate and detail

Details

A magnificent 17th Century Dutch gilded brass 'Holland Circle', signed in a cartouche Anthonius Hoevenaer Fecit Leydae, the outer rim with four fixed slit sights at the cardinal points thus forming a surveyor's cross, at the centre is a magnetic compass marked with 16 direction pointers, North indicated by a fleur-de-lys, then O, S, W, around the compass box turns the alidade, with a pair of sights, the ends of the alidade are pierced to permit reading the degree numbers, the lower half of the circle has a shadow square with two scales, 0 to 12 by ones, and 0 to 60 by ones, at the North is a shackle and ring for suspension when using the shadow square, the outer rim engraved with a pair of circles, each divided into 360° by ones, the outer circle marked at the half degrees, while the inner is marked at the full degrees (this an unusual procedure), every ten degrees are numbered, running in two sequences (clockwise and anticlockwise) from 360° at the North, there follow the names of the winds in two sequences: 16 in Latin and 32 in Dutch, the Latin read Aparctias, Aquilo, Greco, Caecias, Subsolanus, Vulturnus, Syrocho, Euroauster, Auster, Libonthus, Lebeccio, Africanus, Zephyrus, Corus, Magistralis, Circius, the Dutch cardinal names are: NOORD, OOST, ZVYD, WEST, and the intermediate points employ the common contractions, underneath is a tapered socket to fit over the head of a post or tripod, this is attached to the underside of the circle by four screws with heart-shaped heads and a compass joint attaches to the socket, the joint is provided with a pair of holes to accept a tightening key and can be fixed at its desired setting by a screw with a heart-shaped head, the main plate finely engraved and pierced with scrolling foliage and latticework, except for the East-West bar and the alidade, which are deeply incised in a similar pattern, North of centre is a lattice monogram that incorporates the letters A V M, the top of the cartouche has a grotesque face
See Colour Plate and detail

Lot Essay

This is the most highly embellished Holland Circle known to exist, and is an outstanding piece of craftsmanship in excellent condition. What is now commonly called the Holland Circle was invented in 1608 by Jan Pieterz Dou (1573-1635). It was intended to supersede the quadrant then in use by land surveyors. The circle was published by Dou in his Tractaet vant maken ende Gebruycken eens nieuw gheordonneerden Mathematischen Instruments, published at Amsterdam in 1612. Dou did not give a name to his invention. The modern term was coined by the Frenchman, Aime Laussedat, who introduced Cercle hollandais in the 19th Century (see his Recherches sur les instruments, les methodee et le dessin topographique, Paris, 1898-1903). The instrument became popular amongst the Netherlands surveyors during the Seventeenth century, and some well crafted specimens exist by C. Metz (Museum Boerhaave), Jacobus de Steur (Whipple Museum Cambridge), Henricus Sneewins (s Sothebys 12 June 1984 lot 330) Instruments by Hoevenaer are exceedingly rare. Only one other Holland Circle signed by him is known, which is mentioned by E. Zinner, Astronomische Instrumente(Munich 1979). The entry is headed: Ant.Goni Hoevenaer. Zinner has created an erroneous second name through confusing the swashed h in Anthonius for a capital G
Anthonius Hoevenaer (c.1630-after 1711) of Leiden, took an apprentice in 1655. Among other known dates are his marriages, in 1654, 1666, and 1677. On 25 March 1683 he was matriculated in the university of Leiden as follows Anthonius Hoevenaer, amanuensis to Professor Volder because of mathematical instruments. Hoevenaer is the first known instrument maker to a university department. No doubt his reputation as a fine craftsman had been made through the great quadrant of Leiden observatory.

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