Photo by David Friend Productions, San Diego, California

MYSTERY OBJECT

19-004. English, 2nd half 19th century, unsigned. The 9 3/4" diameter circular mahogany base plate is mounted on 4 heavy lacquered brass bun feet, with a heavy 3/8" wide brass ring screwed around the edge. The base plate has a varnished paper top, with scales around the edge: hours (I - XXIV) and minutes for each hour (0 - 60), months (JAN - DEC) and days of the month (1 - 28/30/31). Mounted 3/4" above the top of the base plate is a 7" diameter back-surfaced mirror, with a mounting boss in the center for a heavy knurled screw to mount the 9 1/2" long x 5/8" wide double-sided brass pointer. One side of the pointer has a 3" long narrow slot in it, the other side has the same slot with 2 small fittings that have holes in line with the slot to possibly hold something mounted on a wire. The apparatus was housed in a 11 1/2" square x 5" deep hand dovetailed mahogany box, with no other accessories except a second heavy knurled screw. The apparatus and its box are both in fine overall condition.

We think this mystery object belongs to the "sundial" family, but have not been able to find it in our reference books or get an identification from the academic scientific instrument community online.

Price.......................................$750 / Sale Price $600

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