Portable Diptych Sundial by Leonhart Miller
date: label: Date made
content: 1641
name: label: maker
content: Leonhart Miller
label: maker
content: Miller, Leonhart
notes: label: Description
content: Leaf 1a of this rectangular ivory diptych sundial has a wind rose (sun-face motif) with sixteen points labeled in German. The wind vane is missing from a slot with a metal cover on one edge of the leaf. A foliate decoration extends around the rose and a metal protrusion is at each corner. A small circle near the hinge shows the north point in compass in leaf below. The pin for a hook which holds the diptych open also is missing. Leaf 1b contains a pin gnomon and dial labeled "QUANTITAS DIEI" (length of day). It is calibrated along a diagonal from left to right from 8 to 16 by ones. Zodiacal symbols are around the edges of the top. Below the zodiac is a vertical dial labeled from VI to XII to VI in Gothic-style Roman numerals. A sun face is at the center, small decorative stamps are along the top, and two engravings of a comet or meteor are near the hinge. A string gnomon connects leaves 1b and 2a. Leaf 2a contains a horizontal dial for an approximate latitude of 48-49 degrees. The dial is calibrated from 4 to 12 to 8 by units with asterisks at the half-hour points. An inset compass with glass and needle is labeled with abbreviations of the four Latin directions. Near "OCCI" is a fleur de lis. The compass is offset for variation at approximately five degrees east and twenty degrees west. Below the compass and hour dial is a pin gnomon dial for Babylonian hours (calibrated 1 to 14 in red) and Italian hours (calibrated 10 to 23 in black). A mark below this reads: LEONHART MILLER 1641. The dial has sun and moon decorations and decorative stamps.
label: Description
content: Leaf 2b contains a lunar volvelle with an engraved brass disc with index, calibrated from 1 to 12 twice and decorated with stars. Two scales extend around the volvelle, calibrated from 1 to 12 by twice and from 1 to 29 once. Foliate decorations surround scales. There are again small metal feet at each corner. All marks in black and red. A stamp near the hinge reads: L M. A crown is between these two letters.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: P. Gouk, <I>The Ivory Sundials of Nuremberg 1500-1700</I>.
label: Description
content: Whipple Museum of the History of Science, <I>Catalogue 6: Sundials</I>, Part 1, Section 4.2.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
label: Subject
content: Timekeeping
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of New York University
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MA.326979
label: catalog number
content: 326979
label: accession number
content: 1990.0646
objectType: label: Object Name
content: sundial, horizonntal portable
label: Object Name
content: sundial
label: Object Name
content: sundial
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall, closed: 1.4 cm x 5.3 cm x 8.2 cm; 9/16 in x 2 3/32 in x 3 7/32 in