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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Nuremberg, Germany · 1557–1609

Paul Reinmann

Partially verified

Nuremberg compass and ivory sundial maker

Life & work

Paul Reinmann was born in Nuremberg in 1557 as the son of the sundial maker Hieronymus Reinmann.

Throughout his career, he operated workshops in the Nuremberg city center, specifically at locations known as 'unter den Huttern' and 'zwischen den Fleischbanken'. Reinmann specialized in the production of high-quality ivory folding sundials, which were frequently decorated with gilded metal components. He adopted his father's master mark, a crown, for his own instruments.

He is credited with the introduction of epact tables around the year 1600.

The fuller biography summarises the open references listed under Sources; each statement was checked against the cited passage. Confirm key dates in period documents before relying on them.

Training, contributions & innovations

  • Reinmann is noted for the introduction of epact tables into his instrument designs around 1600.

Documented works

  • An ivory sundial dated 1584 by Reinmann is held in the collection of the Museum of the History of Science in Oxford.
  • The Adler Planetarium maintains a sundial by the maker in its collection.

Collecting significance

The catalogued pieces listed on this page show the kinds of objects auction houses, dealers and museums attribute to this maker; each attribution is the source's own.

Firms, key models & movements

No firm, model or movement in this encyclopedia is yet recorded under this maker's name.

In the object catalogue

14 catalogued objects are recorded under Paul Reinmann. Attributions are as given by each source and are not independent authentication.

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Diagram

12345let downstripcleanoilregulateorder of work; never skip letting down the mainspring
Schematic: order of work at the bench. An outline schematic drawn to show the arrangement of the parts discussed here. It is not a dimensioned working drawing and does not depict a particular maker's calibre.

Sources & references

  1. Reinmann, Paul, Watch-Wiki, retrieved 2026-11-03

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.