1790 · Furth
by KLEININGER, Johann Georg
. 85 x 52 x 15 mm. Rectangular wooden sundial made of two hand-carved panels with hand-colored paper scales and tables covering three faces. The upper outside panel has 22 European and American cities listed alphabetically with their latitudes. The interior upper panel contains and equinoctial sundial calibrated from VII to XII to V. The lower interior panel houses a compass rose inside a glass compartment with the cardinal directions, surrounded by a horizontal sundial calibrated from 4 to 12 to 8 with divisions for each half hour. Each compartment is decorated with flowers and foliage. A string gnomon links the two panels and a functional clasp with eye closure locks the case. The compass appears to still be in working condition. Signed "J. Kleininger" on the rose. Outer panels soiled from use but still legible and complete. A fine piece.
A gorgeous and functional portable timekeeper. Intended for use by a world traveler, it serves as both a sundial and compass and lists coordinates for such cities as Baltimore, Genoa, Lisbon, and Washington D.C. While portable sundials were commonplace from the sixteenth century, the ones made in Germany at the turn of the 19th century were renowned to be the finest and most accurate.
Kleininger (1763-1824) was a German sundial maker in Fürth. His sun, Johan Paul Kleininger, continued his business after his father's death. (Inventory #: 18752)
A gorgeous and functional portable timekeeper. Intended for use by a world traveler, it serves as both a sundial and compass and lists coordinates for such cities as Baltimore, Genoa, Lisbon, and Washington D.C. While portable sundials were commonplace from the sixteenth century, the ones made in Germany at the turn of the 19th century were renowned to be the finest and most accurate.
Kleininger (1763-1824) was a German sundial maker in Fürth. His sun, Johan Paul Kleininger, continued his business after his father's death. (Inventory #: 18752)