 |
| Sundials Home | Brass Sun dials | Customer Service |
Cast Iron Sundials | Sun Dial Store |
SUNDIAL SECTIONS: Developing and Making Sundials Interesting Sundials of the World
|
Portable Sundials
Portable sundials were very common at a period when craftsmanship was at its height in Europe. Out of this period have come down to us many beautiful specimens of the engravers art, among which are innumerable portable sundials. Have you ever seen a collection of them? If not, you have a rare treat in store. The sight of a large number of these miniature timekeeping instruments collected in one place, does something to you. It is hard to believe that some of them could possibly tell time; you will be fascinated with their workmanship, the variety of material, shape, and type; we have yet to see anyone turn away disappointed. A collection of portable sundials is really more interesting in many ways than one of fine watches. Dr. Harold C. Ernst of Boston began by collecting watches, but his first portable sundial had a disastrous effect on them. No more watches were collected, but the number of portable sundials, from all parts of the world, grew and grew, until now there are nearly 150 on display at the Harvard College Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is the one collection of sundials in the United States open to the public, which contains only portable sundials. This was one man's hobby. A small corner of one of the cases containing the Ernst Collection. Note the variety in this small group. At A is a horizontal sundial fitted with levels, compass, level adjustment screws, and plumb line; the sundial plate is porcelain set into the brass base. A piece of thread is used to cast a shadow. The whole may be folded and packed in the case on which it stands. Three universal ring sundials of different sizes. These sundials are so named because of their shape and the fact that they may be set for use anywhere on the earth. B is made of brass, C of silver, and D of brass. Each may be folded to fit a carrying case as shown at E. They are held in the hand by a small ring attached to the circle rep-resenting the meridian which is graduated in degrees for setting the sundial. A beam of light passes through a small hole in an adjustable slide that rides up and down the flat bar which points to the celestial pole when properly set. The equatorial ring bears the hour marks, on which the time of day is told by the position of the spot of light. The principle of the sundial is based on the declination of the sun each day in the year. To use this type of sundial, set it to the proper latitude, adjust the slide to the day and turn the rings and axial bar until the spot of light can be seen on the center of the narrow equatorial ring, in which position the time can be read. A similar sundial is where only one ring is used. A spot of light records the time. A unique piece, is that at J. This is a small equatorial type sundial mounted on a man's finger ring. In the illustration opposite page the sundial is in position to tell time and above it the small compass at the center is visible. The sundial folds down over the compass, and is protected by the solid piece on the right when not in use. It is an interesting and rare piece of jewelry. The shepherds in the Pyrenees still use these sundials. They are often called pillar, shepherd, or poke sundials and their principle of construction is based on the altitude of the sun. |
So many people are making things nowadays it is a wonder that portable sundials have not attracted attention, for of all the sundials they are the most interesting and fascinating type to make. The kitchen mechanic will find them well received by the members of his household, because little space is required for their construction. They are second to none for variety of material, size, shape and type. Portables can be made of practically any material, from ivory, lead, brass, silver, wood, cardboard, gold, and stone to even ivory soap. They generally are not more than six inches in the largest dimension. They may be made in the form of armillaries, rings, cubes, crosses, books, tablets, disks, ships, cylinders, and guns, ad infinitum. So many different kinds can be devised that you could keep busy the rest of your life making them, and then not exhaust their possibilities. We need not repeat here how the hour lines can be laid out, for that has been attended to in previous sections where the information for laying out dozens of portable sundials will be found. Your reaction may be that these sundials would not be accurate because of their size, so why include them in a book that stresses the use and construction of accurate sundials. We assure you that such is far from the truth, for we have seen many small sundials not over four inches that are more accurate than some of their big brothers.Copyright © 2005-2006 The Sundial Store. All Rights Reserved. |