BRASS SUNDIAL-COMPASS. BUTTERFIELD, MICHAEL (1635-1724). PARIS, CIRCA 1700.
Antiques - Miscellaneus / Other Objects
Reference: ZE313
Pocket sundial compass with case. Bronze. BUTTERFIELD, Michael (1635-1724). Paris, circa 1700. A pocket sundial made of engraved metal, featuring a gnomon in the shape of a bird with an engraved tree on a triangle, and a compass with a dark metal needle; the inscription “Butterfield A. Paris 43” is also found in this area. The latitudes of several cities (Madrid, Paris, Barcelona, etc.) are engraved on the back, and a decorative architectural element is placed in the center. The case, custom-made for the piece, has a lined interior for better protection. Michael Butterfield was a mathematician and instrument maker based in Paris from the last quarter of the 17th century until the beginning of the 18th. Although of English origin, he collaborated with the Royal Academy of Sciences in the French capital and worked as an engineer at the court of Louis XIV. It is known that he opened a shop in Saint-Germain in 1677, from which he sold sundials. A similar model in silver was auctioned at Christie's London on November 17, 2009. Lot 106
· Size: 7,5x6,5x1 cms / Estuche 8,5x7,5x2 cms
2.900 €
