Butterfield Type Sundial

Butterfield Type Sundial
J. Menard, Paris, France, ca 1680
NA 25

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Butterfield type sundial J. Menard, Paris, France, ca 1680

This type of sundial was popular with the aristocracy in the seventeenth century. The adjustable styles were engraved with latitude scales from 40 to 60 degrees. This enabled the traveler to align the style with the Earth's axis and the celestial pole and thus determine accurately the time of day. For a quick reference, the back of this sundial lists European towns and their latitudes.

For more information, e-mail collections@MarinersMuseum.org.

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