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March 2008
The articles link to the specific page in a PDF optimised for speed. If you want the whole issue, you can download it here, but the files from earlier years can be quite large.
March 2008
Page 1
Page 1
The award for the best paper by a new author in the 2007 Bulletin has been made to Stefano Barbolini, Guido Dresti, Frank King and Rosario Mosello for their paper ‘The Sundial in La Specola Museum, Florence’ (Bull. 19(i) pp.33-39). The prize, a certificate and a small replica portable dial, will be presented at a later date.
The BSS and Members
March 2008
Page 2
Page 2
Describes an unusual 1842 pocket calendar device called the Clef-Callier, named after one of two Parisian clockmakers, which shows the Equation of Time for the 5th, 15th, and 25th day of each month. It also displays the month and date, with corrections generally within one minute of modern figures.
Dials: Portable, Equation of Time
March 2008
Page 3
Page 3
This article details the restoration and description of a 1696 pinhole sundial in Florence's Pitti Palace, designed by Vincenzo Viviani. It served for astronomical observations and calendar functions, notably for determining Easter. The piece also explores its historical context within the Medici court and its allegorical frescoes.
Restoration projects, Historical Dials, Dials: Noon Lines
March 2008
Page 10
Page 10
A recorder encounters an armillary sphere sundial for sale at a garden centre. Despite initial skepticism about 'garden centre' dials, it's well-delineated. The author inquires about its permanence for recording purposes and learns its price (£10,000) and maker, Richard Heron.
Dials: Armillary Sphere
March 2008
Page 11
Page 11
This article outlines four historical periods of listing and recording English scratch (mass) dials, noting over 5000 recorded dials. It highlights the significant contributions of interwar studies, the isolated work of post-war individuals, and the British Sundial Society's Mass Dial Group in preserving this record.
Historical Dials, Dials: Mass Dials
March 2008
Page 12
Page 12
Describes a scaphe dial by potter Mary Watts, similar to one in the Watts Gallery. This particular dial, located in Farnborough, Hampshire, serves as a memorial to aviation pioneer Edward T. Busk, who died in 1914. It was moved in 1970 and is now housed at the Farnborough Air Sciences Trust.
Dials: Scaphe, Historical Dials
March 2008
Page 13
Page 13
A collection of letters. Graham Stapleton suggests new glossary terms; John Moir corrects a previous 'Almost Sundial' entry; Ken Head clarifies how to use analemmatic dials; George White discusses the Bath Tompion dial and its uncertain link to the Pump Room clock.
Dials: Analemmatic, Dials: Portable, Historical Dials
March 2008
Page 14
Page 14
This article explains how to use Solar Course diagrams found on historical instruments, such as an Edmund Culpeper universal equinoctial ring dial and Italian quadrants, to determine the sun's position in the Zodiac. It details calculation methods, including adjustments for Old Style and New Style calendars, and notes rare instances of early Gregorian calendar pre-emption.
Dialling Tools, Historical Dials, How Sundials Work, Mathematics of Dialling
March 2008
Page 16
Page 16
This article recounts the legend of Sir Henry Yule, a Bengal Engineer in the 1840s, who, vexed by his own temper and his native workmen's unpunctuality, fined himself two rupees each time he lost his temper. He used the accumulated money to erect a 'handsome' sundial at Roorkee to teach the locals the value of time.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials
March 2008
Page 17
Page 17
This section reviews 'Biographical Index of British Sundial Makers from the Seventh Century to 1920 (2nd Edition)' by Jill Wilson, praising its enhancements, new names, and comprehensive scope beyond simple indexing. It also reviews 'The Astrolabe' by James E. Morrison, highlighting it as a much-needed, comprehensive guide to astrolabe design, function, and construction.
Dials: Astrolabe, Book Reviews, Historical Dials
March 2008
Page 18
Page 18
Describes the design, creation, and dedication of a large horizontal sundial by Tony Moss, commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement. The unique 'navette' shaped dial incorporates Anglo-American symbolism, funded by the Sawyer Dialling Prize and sponsors, and was installed at Turner Farm Park.
Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects, The BSS and Members
March 2008
Page 22
Page 22
A personal report on the 13th NASS Conference in McLean, Virginia, covering presentations on various sundial topics, a bus tour to significant dials like the Lyman Briggs Memorial Dial and the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory, and the dedication of the Jamestown Commemorative Sundial. It also details the Sawyer Dialling Prize presentation and practical workshops.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Polar, The BSS and Members
March 2008
Page 26
Page 26
Discusses the historical use and modern relevance of astrological symbols on sundials to indicate dates like solstices and equinoxes, despite astronomical shifts like precession. It examines symbols for Zodiacal signs and those used on lunar volvelles, such as sextile, square, and trine, explaining their relation to moon phases and elongation.
Historical Dials, How Sundials Work, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2008
Page 28
Page 28
This section features descriptions of recently unveiled sundials. It includes a large nodal dial in Blackrock, Co. Louth, Ireland, and a vertical sundial in Stouffville, Ontario, Canada, the latter using High Density Urethane material. It also mentions a large horizontal dial in a community garden in Barrow-upon-Soar, Lincolnshire.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Vertical
March 2008
Page 30
Page 30
Describes a Cary dial in Hole Park, Kent, which was stolen but later recovered from an antique shop thanks to photographs. The recovery highlights the importance of documentation for proving ownership of valuable sundials.
Historical Dials
March 2008
Page 31
Page 31
This fourth part of a series describes universal astrolabes, focusing on the Saphea, Rojas, and De la Hire projections. These instruments, developed from the 11th to 17th centuries, could be used at all latitudes, offering flexibility for astronomical and timekeeping purposes, despite the increasing complexity of their design.
Dials: Astrolabe, Historical Dials, How Sundials Work, Mathematics of Dialling
March 2008
Page 38
Page 38
Reports on sundial sales at major auction houses in 2007, noting a shift away from scientific instruments by Christie's and Sotheby's. It details sales at Bonhams, including a 19th-century cube dial, a 17th/18th-century Polish slate dial, and a medieval astrolabe quadrant found in Canterbury. Other notable sales include portable dials by Edm. Culpeper and a double crescent dial by Johann Martin.
Dials: Portable, Historical Dials, Dials: Cube, Dials: Double Horizontal
March 2008
Page 40
Page 40
Reproduces Tim Hunkin's 'Rudiments of Wisdom' cartoon strip on sundials from the Observer newspaper. It offers a concise overview of the development of sundials from the Egyptian obelisk, through to equal hours dials and modern developments, in cartoon form, even commenting on the need for adjustments due to the equation of time!
How Sundials Work, Historical Dials
March 2008
Page 41
Page 41
This continuation of book reviews includes an extensive review of 'The Astrolabe' by James E. Morrison, praising its comprehensive coverage of astrolabe types, principles, uses, and construction methods.
Dials: Astrolabe, Book Reviews
March 2008
Page 42
Page 42
Features a c.1920 postcard depicting a large horizontal sundial at Polam Hall, an independent girls' school in Darlington. The author notes the presence of scholars in the image and expresses uncertainty about whether the dial is still in place.
Dials: Horizontal, Historical Dials
March 2008
Page 42
Page 42
Compares an early 20th-century postcard of a Pilkington & Gibbs heliochronometer at Thornton Manor with a modern photograph. It notes the dial's original purchase by Lord Leverhulme, its continued presence on its pedestal, and the replacement of its glass dome with a chemistry bell jar.
Dials: Heliochronometer, Historical Dials
March 2008
Page 43
Page 43
Showcases Pat Briggs' Meccano models, ranging from simple equatorial dials to complex planetaria and astronomical clocks. It highlights his ingenious mechanisms, including a universal joint for shadow tracking, an Equation of Time clock, and a 'Meccano Analemmagraph' for drawing the analemma, using cunningly-designed gear ratios.
Dials: Equatorial, Equation of Time, Dialling Tools, DIY Sundial Projects
March 2008
Page 46
Page 46
Describes the design and construction of an 18-inch brass equatorial mean time sundial, incorporating a mechanism to compensate for the Equation of Time. The article details the machining of a groove on a rotatable drum for EoT correction and the careful assembly and alignment of the time-ring and gnomon, calibrated to read GMT directly.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Equation of Time
March 2008
Page 47
Page 47
Presents a photograph from an old glass lantern slide of a high-quality churchyard dial, believed to date before World War I. The author seeks help in identifying the church, noting a cross on the porch as a potential diagnostic feature.
Dials: Horizontal, Historical Dials
March 2008
Page 48
Page 48
Describes a non-working universal equinoctial ring dial, about 12cm in diameter, incorporated into a 1684 lime-wood carving by Grinling Gibbons. This carving, representing arts and sciences, is located in the saloon of Lyme Hall, alongside other astronomical and navigation instruments, reflecting Sir Richard Legh's interest in the sciences.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials