拍品 39
39
An 18th-Century South German Solnhofer chalk table sundial,

细节
An 18th-Century South German Solnhofer chalk table sundial,
unsigned, the dial graduated 4 - 12 - 8 and showing the symbols of the zodiac, with heraldic motif, flanked by the letters G.A. and .Z.N., legend in banner below GoDefrIDVs Abbas prVDentiâ fVLgens fLoreat! ViresCat!, latitude shown Eleva Poli 47°.33'. and ink inventory inscription No 364, brass gnomon with provision for a plummet, in wooden base (corner chipped) -- 8¾in. (22.3cm.) wide

See Colour Illustration and Detail

拍品专文

The curious typography of the legend seems to give the date: if the initial capitals "G" and "A" are ignored and the unneccessary capitals isolated (i.e. "GoDefrIDVs Abbas prVDentiâ fVLgens fLoreat! ViresCat!"), the numerical sequence 500, 1, 500, 5, 5, 500, 5, 50, 50, 5, 100 is produced. These figures added together give a date of 1721, an interesting example of information concealed cryptically within a dedication inscription.