Live Auction 4826Travel, Science and Natural History
A DOUBLE HORIZONTAL DIAL
Lot 72

A DOUBLE HORIZONTAL DIAL

ELIAS ALLEN, CIRCA 1640

Closed25 April 2012

Price Realised

GBP 1,250

Considering selling a similar item?

Discover its value with a complimentary estimate from our specialists.

More Information

How to sell

A DOUBLE HORIZONTAL DIAL
Elias Allen, circa 1640
with horizontal projection of the celestial sphere given between the tropics, the months marked along the ecliptic; a 32 point compass rose hour scale IIII-XII-VIII and minute scale divided to 1 minute, signed Elias Allen fecit and inscribed This Diall beelongs to the Garden at Eastwell Park in Kent, the knife-edge double gnomon probably a replacement.
12½in. (32cm.) diameter

Specialist note

Elias Allen (c.1588-1654) co-operated closley with William Oughtred (bap.1575-1660) the leading mathematician of the era, who designed the double horizontal dial in circa 1603. The construction of these dials requires remarkable craftsmanship, with some hour lines requiring an engraving burin on a radius of several meters. They enjoyed popularity in the 17th century, even getting a mention in the diary of Samuel Pepys, but are rare post-1700.