Stock No. | Exhibit No.29 |
Dial | The dial signed Tho Tompion London and constructed for latitude 50° 54’ N. The heavy cast-bronze gnomon decorated with finely engraved scrollwork, 77 inches (180 mm) high and riveted to the square cast-bronze dial plate beneath. The plate itself very finely engraved with scroll and strapwork spandrels to the corners and an hour-scale reading to one-minute, with equation tables within, and the following instructions above the gnomon for setting the time: Set the watch so much faster or slower The dial reads from the outside and, when positioned correctly, North to South. The hour scale with decorative curl-scroll finished ends, has internal rings divided for half-quarters as well as the quarters, the scale centre with Roman hours and decorative fleur-de-lys half-hour markers between and laid out clockwise; from IIII to XII for the morning on the West side and; XII to VIII for the afternoon on the East side. The scale’s outer division ring graduated to one-minute and marked with Arabic numerals every 10 minutes. The centre engraved with an equation of time scale, showing adjustment from true-solar to mean-solar time, in minutes and seconds, every two days of the year; from January to June on one side of the gnomon and; July to December on the other. Originally fixed to a stone pedestal using the four vacant holes in the spandrel corners. |
Provenance | Probably commissioned by Sir Thomas Pelham, 4th Bt, later 1st Lord Pelham of Laughton (1653-1712) for Halland House at latitude 50° 54’ North, thence by descent, with his two Tompion clocks (no.284 and no.545), to his son; John C Taylor Collection, inventory no.109 |
Literature | Evans, Thomas Tompion at the Dial and Three Crowns, 2006, listed p.108; |
Dimensions | 12 inches (305 mm) square |
The Pelham Tompion Sundial. Circa 1710
A very fine and rare Queen Anne bronze square horizontal garden sundial engraved with equation of time and setting instructions by Thomas Tompion, London
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Additional information
Dimensions | 5827373 cm |
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