The main creator of this type of sundial was Michael Butterfield (1635-1724). He was a British watchmaker who settled in Paris around 1663. He worked for the royal court of France and was appointed engineer by the king, for whom he carried out orders on several occasions. After his death in 1724, this type of sundial was copied by numerous European manufacturers.
It is a type of semi-universal horizontal sundial, that is, it can be used in a wide number of different latitudes (between 40 and 50º) but not in the entire range from 0 ° to 90 °. It is generally either octagonal or oval in shape and is almost always marked with three or four different time scales, each of which indicates the latitude for its specific use. The essential elements of the Butterfield sundial are:
A brass plate engraved with the different time scales for different latitudes.
A compass to orient the sundial on the North-South meridian
And a gnomon adjustable to the latitude of the place where we are. The gnomon is marked with a latitude scale and can be moved, with the bird’s beak indicating the latitude angle for which we want to use the watch.
The entire set rests on a beech wood base polished with natural waxes.
It comes in a beautiful case to make a perfect gift and is accompanied by a small leaflet with instructions for use.
Measures:
Width: 9.5cm
length: 11cm
thickness: 2.3cm
VAT INCLUDED
