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Lot Essay
A highly rare and early form of the standing equinoctial dial. Seemingly based on the elaborate designs by John Rowley (1668–1728), for an example of which see Christie's Monaco 10 December 1999 lot 490. The two ring equinoctial ring dial was invented by the Mathematician William Oughtred (1574-1660) and described in his 1652 book on sundials. Unlike horizontal garden sundials that are designed for use at a fixed latitude it can be used anywhere on earth, at any latitude.
A sundial with a high level of accuracy such as this would have often been used to set a clock or watch to local solar time. A clock can keep the time, of course, but not find it; so the use of an accurate sundial is required.
A sundial with a high level of accuracy such as this would have often been used to set a clock or watch to local solar time. A clock can keep the time, of course, but not find it; so the use of an accurate sundial is required.