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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Tool · Nuremberg diptych dial

Nuremberg Diptych Dial

Partially verified

This diptych dial is constructed from ivory and brass, measuring 55 x 87 x 14 mm. Produced in Nuremberg in 1543, it features multiple sundial configurations across its leaves. The outer face of the upper leaf contains a table of latitudes for 14 towns and a pin gnomon dial. The inner side of the upper leaf presents a pin gnomon dial for Italian hours, a vertical string gnomon dial for common hours, and a further pin gnomon dial for common hours. The inner side of the lower leaf includes a compass vane, a string gnomon dial for common hours, and an additional pin gnomon dial displaying Italian and Babylonian hours. The lower leaf incorporates a brass arm for latitude adjustment and a dedicated compartment for storing the pin. While the maker is unidentified, a sheep-shaped maker's mark is present on the outer lower leaf.

A Nuremberg diptych dial dated 1543, showing the opened leaves with various pin and string gnomon dials and the central compass compartment.
A Nuremberg diptych dial dated 1543, showing the opened leaves with various pin and string gnomon dials and the central compass compartment. — Museum of the History of Science, Oxford. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
www.mhs.ox.ac.uk
Category
Tool · Nuremberg diptych dial
Maker / attribution
Not established
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
70
Source-reported date
1543
Source-reported place
Nuremberg

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Structural Design and Layout

The diptych dial is a multi-functional instrument crafted from ivory and brass. It is composed of two hinged leaves that fold together. The outer side of the upper leaf serves as a geographical reference, featuring a table of latitudes for 14 towns alongside a pin gnomon dial for standard hours marked 1 to 12 twice. Decoration within the spandrel spaces consists of small circles and curved lines, a motif mirrored on the inner side of the upper leaf.

The interior surfaces are complex, housing multiple solar tracking configurations. The upper leaf interior contains three distinct dial types: a pin gnomon dial for Italian hours, a vertical string gnomon dial for common hours, and a secondary pin gnomon dial for common hours. A brass arm is situated on the right side of the lower leaf, designed to assist with latitude adjustment, while the bottom edge of this leaf is recessed to provide a storage compartment for the gnomon pin.

Evidence for this section
  • “The outer side of the upper face has a table of latitudes for 14 towns and a pin gnomon dial”

Timekeeping and Specialized Scales

The dial incorporates diverse systems of time measurement to suit various observational needs. The inner side of the upper leaf tracks Italian hours, numbered in green-blue from 14 to 24, while common hours are displayed via string and pin gnomon dials. An unequal scale is positioned on the right of the upper leaf to calibrate for latitude, marked in red increments from 30 to 80.

On the lower leaf, the inner surface provides a string gnomon dial for common hours ranging from 4 to 12 to 8, with markings for half-hour intervals. Below this, a pin gnomon dial displays Italian hours (10-23) in green and Babylonian hours (1-14) in red.

Evidence for this section
  • “Below is a vertical string gnomon dial (string missing) for common hours numbered from 7 to 12 to 5”
  • “Below, is a pin gnomon dial with Italian hours numbered in green from 10 to 23 and Babylonian hours numbered in red from 1 to 14.”
  • “'this is a dial precise to the 6th clima', probably referring to the climates as defined by Ptolemy”

Identification and Current Condition

The object remains unsigned by a specific maker, though it bears a distinct maker's mark in the shape of a sheep on the exterior of the lower leaf. This mark has yet to be identified in existing research. The ivory construction is dated 1543, and the piece is currently held by the Museum of the History of Science in Oxford, identified by inventory number 70.

The compass vane on the lower leaf lacks its needle, ring, and glass cover. Both the vertical string gnomon and several pin gnomons are missing from their respective dial positions.

Evidence for this section
  • “The outer side of the lower leaf is blank except for the maker's mark in the form of a sheep.”
  • “The inner side of the lower face has a compass vane (needle, ring and glass missing)”
  • “This is a very early dial , whose maker's mark has not been identified.”

Open research questions

  • What is the significance of the sheep-shaped maker's mark in the context of 16th-century Nuremberg ivory dial production?
  • Could the 14 towns listed in the latitude table be identified to provide further context on the intended market for this specific dial?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Nuremberg Diptych Dial
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerUnidentified; mark is a sheep“whose maker's mark has not been identified”
Date1543“Dated 1543”
LocationNuremberg“Nuremberg”
MaterialIvory and brass“Ivory and brass”
Dimensions55 x 87 x 14 mm“55 x 87 x 14 mm”
InscriptionsGOT ALLEI[N] [D]IE ERR; IS EX AD S{E}XTVM CLIMA HOROLOG I V I[N]TEGRV“At the bottom of the leaf is the inscription 'GOT ALLEI[N] [D]IE ERR'.”
ProvenanceMuseum of the History of Science, Oxford“Museum of the History of Science, Oxford”

Visible details

  • Maker's mark in the form of a sheep on outer lower leaf
  • Brass latitude adjustment arm on lower leaf
  • Compartment at the bottom edge for stowing the pin
  • Missing components include compass needle, ring, glass, and gnomon pins

Research qualifications

  • Original pins for pin gnomon dials are missing
  • Compass components including needle, ring, and glass are missing
  • String gnomon is missing from the vertical dial

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Diptych Dial

Reviewed 2026-10-26 · Record c2c86b4f71

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

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