Etched Glass & Plastic Sundials
Including Etched Glass, Plastic, Mosaic and Ceramic Sundials
By John L. Carmichael (author) and Dave Bell (webmaster)
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This page was last updated Tue Sep 20 18:33:51 2011

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Image Archive/
Etched Glass & Plastic Sundials
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Stained Glass Sundials: 16th & 17th Centuries (1500's & 1600's)
Stained Glass Sundials: 18th & 19th Centuries (1700's & 1800's)
Stained Glass Sundials: 20th & 21st Centuries (1900's & 2000's)
Etched Glass and Plastic Sundials
Mosaic and Ceramic Sundials

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The term "stained glass" commonly refers to any colored flat glass or any object made of this glass joined by metal strips. The term originally applied to colored or clear flat glass cut to fit an artist's design, on which details were painted with a brush using glass enamel. The glass pieces were then heated in a kiln or oven to bond and fuse the enamel to the glass surface. This firing made the painted detail as durable and permanent as the glass itself. Most stained glass sundial and religious windows from medieval times until this century were executed in this manner. In our website, we use a broader definition that includes glass colored by any means including inks and non-fired enamels. Etched glass is not stained glass. But we included a separate etched glass section in the Image Archive since they are so similar in function and use. Some sundials have both stained and etched glass pieces in them, making them difficult to classify, so I follow this rule: If most of the sundial is of stained glass, then I put it in the stained glass section, otherwise I classify it as etched glass.

Etched Glass Sundials 18th Century (1700's)

 
Dial 144
Dial 147
 
The Zurich Pinhole Dial
The King Poniatowski Dial
 

Maker: unknown
Date: 1780
Original Location: Lon: 46° N. Lon: unknown. Tessin (Swiss canton)
Present Location: Museum der Zeitmessung Beyer (Beyer Museum of Time Measurement) in Zurich Switzerland
Orientation: Vertical. Declines south southwest.
Size: 13.3 x 8.7 cm (5.2 x 3.4 in)
Adornment: dark brown Italic hour lines 15-23, zodiacal symbols Capricorn and Cancer
Mottos: undetermined
Inscriptions: undetermined
Condition: unknown
Comments: Oldest known etched glass sundial. Frosted glass pane in small walnut wood box (18 x 13.5 x 3 cm) with pin hole in bottom to direct sun rays. On the right side there are two mountings to fasten it to the window frame. We need more information and better photos of this lost dial and an English translation of the videotape transcript.
Videotape Transcript of Dial 144 only: Here
Beyer Watch & Clock Museum Website: Here
Photo Descriptions: This photo and information is copied from a videotape movie and transcript by Hans Behrendt called "Historische Glassonnenuhren" 1989.
Photos: a
Maker: Made by Jean François Richer, an artist, French astronomer and Instrument maker for the king, Stanislas Augustus Poniatowski.
Date: 1788
Original Location: Lat: 52° 14' 50.425" N, Lon: 21° 0' 52.87" E. In The Royal Castle in Warsaw Poland. Behrendt's reverse engineering calculates its design latitude as 52.1° N. which corresponds with the location of Warsaw.
Present Location: Lat: 52° 9' 53.124" N, Lon: 21° 5' 25.092" E. It’s mounted in a wooden box held by a window frame on the south side of The Wilanów Palace in Warsaw Poland. There is an outer pane of dirty glass in front of it. This is why it seems to be so unclean in the photos.
Orientation: Its original and current location have a vertical inclination. Hans Behrendt's reverse engineering calculated its original declination was 14° east of south. Its present declination is south. So it would not function if its gnomon were reattached.
Size: unknown exactly- about 2 m (79 in) tall.
Adornment: The finely divided dial shows a sun calendar with the hours of VI o'clock am to V o'clock pm on the edges. Has 15 minute time divisions. For the first time on an historical glass sundial, the figure-of-eight analemma appears, indicating the deviation of true noon at the different seasons. Has the King's crown with the Polish and Lithuanian coat of arms, and in the centre is the coat of arms of the Poniatowski family. Further up, is the inscription: "Richer brevelé du roi en 1788". Patron was the Polish king.
Mottos: the admonishing motto "Ultima Time" (Fear the Latest). The word "hour" is understood to be added.
Condition: Good in 2009. Gnomon is still missing, however there is an picture of it. Darek Oczki trying to get it for us. At the end of the zodiacal hyperbola, the symbols are quite faint.
Comments: All information here was provided by German dialist, Hans Behrendt and polish dialist, Dariusz Oczki. This is a valuable and historic sundial and is the second oldest etched glass sundial that we know of. Hans Behrendt said in his 1989 videotape: "Notice how the inscription is to be read inversely. Probably the pane was negligently inserted wrongly during a restoration." You can see this installation error in his old video photo ‘q’. The dial has since been reversed. Note that The Wilanów Palace also is home to the famous and most beautiful “Chronos Painted Wall Sundial” which you can see almost hidden behind the scaffolding in photos ‘o’ and ‘p’. You can see it more clearly and read about it at The Painted Wall Sundial Website at: Dial 31.
Videotape Transcript of Dial 147 only: Here
Dariusz Oczki’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Darek Oczki took photos ‘a’ to ‘p’ in 2009 and kindly sent them to us. He says: “It is very hard to take good photos because glass is very light there. There are some pics taken by a professional photographer, but I am not allowed to use them. He did something to make the sundial look dark with almost white markings. Unfortunately the palace is now being renovated so glass behind the sundial is covered with thousands of little and big stains of paint. As a computer graphic I have enhanced my pics a bit, so now one can see all the details even if they were taken during the day (It was very light outside so you would not see almost nothing on the sundial.” Other poor quality photos (‘q’, ‘r’, ‘s’) were copied from the videotape movie by Hans Behrendt called "Historische Glassonnenuhren" 1989. He said: "In 1966, Dr. Somerville of Mendota England photographed dial at the Wilanów castle in Warsaw. In 1984, a Mrs. Zusanna Prószynska from Warsaw inquired after the sundial, in particular the activity of the artist. Apparently, she was doing research on the clocks of King Stanislaus August Poniatowski”.
Photos: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s
 

Etched Glass Sundials 19th Century (1800's)

 
Dial 410
 
Dial 148
The Campbell-Stokes Sunshine Recorder
 
The Zurich Pestalozzi Dial

Designers: invented by John Francis Campbell, modified by Sir George Gabriel Stokes.
Makers: Kelvin, Bottomley and Baird Ltd. Glasgow and London England
Date: invented in 1853, modified in 1879. Dial in photo 'a': 1913-1941. Other dials are different ages.
Original Location: made in England
Present Location: unknown. The different dials shown are all in different locations
Orientation: equatorial
Size: 23 x 23 x 25.5 cm (9 x 9 x 10 in). The glass sphere is typically 10 cm (4 in) in diameter
Adornment: none
Mottos: none
Inscription: The different dials shown are all have different inscriptions.
Condition: The different dials shown are all in different conditions.
Comments: Information is from website below. Made from brass, glass and paper. Glass sphere focuses sun’s rays onto a curved card mounted at the back on a stand. Burned line on paper card records the hours of bright sunshine. Around sunrise and sunset when the sun is lower in the sky, the light burns a scorch mark on the card which may be difficult to see at the ends. This is not a true sundial, but I included it anyway just because it’s made of glass and uses the sun. j.c.
Wikipedia Website: Here
John Francis Campbell Wikipedia Website: Here
Sir George Gabriel Stokes Wikipedia Website: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are copied from Wikipedia websites.
Photos: a b c d e f g h
  Maker: engineer Major Heinrich Pestalozzi II. (1790-1857)
Date: 1809
Original Location: Lat: 47° 22' N. pane in house "Zum Ellstecken", Trittlingasse in Zurich Switzerland
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Vertical. Declines 35° 39' east of south.
Size: 22 x 22 cm (8.7 x 8.7 in)
Adornment: Dial has zodiacal signs and hour lines 6-12-6 quarter and ten minute divisions, horizon and substyle line.
Inscription: Vertical. Declines 35° 39' east of south according to H. Pestalozzi (1810).
Condition: unknown
Comments: We need more information and better photos of this lost dial and an English translation of the videotape transcript.
Videotape Transcript of Dial 148 only: Here
Photo Descriptions: Dial is etched into a clear window pane. Gnomon has a perforated disk. The sundial is protected as a public monument. A nearly identical dial by Pestalozzi from 1809 is in the archive of the Swiss Observatory in Zurich. This photo and information are copied from a videotape movie and transcript by Hans Behrendt called "Historische Glassonnenuhren" 1989.
Photos: a

Etched Glass Sundials 20th Century (1900's)

Dial 305
Dial 27
Dial 26
The Gulland/Higgs Window Sill Dial
The George Higgs Memorial Dial
The Eversden Parva Dial

Glass Engraver: David Gulland
Designer and Delineator: By George Higgs (1900 - 1994) at the youthful age of 91
Date: 1990
Original Location: In a southwest declining kitchen window sill in a cottage in Aberllyn, North Wales, Great Britain
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: vertical, declines towards the Southwest by an unknown amount
Size: unknown
Adornment: Etched into the glass is a beautiful landscape scene of the owner's remote mountain cottage with trees in the winter.
Mottos: None
Inscriptions: the Equation of Time, The word: "ABERLLYN", the Date: 1990, and David Gulland's signature
Condition: excellent
Comments: A stand alone table top window of double pane etched glass. The nodus spot is on a rear pane about an inch away from the etched glass in front. It casts its shadow on the etched surface of the front pane. This nodus design was an original concept designed by Higgs. He discovered subsequently that this idea had first been suggested in 17th century France.
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of David Young (2005).
David Young’s Email: Here
Photos: a
Glass Engraver: David Gulland
Designer and Delineator: John Higgs, son of George Higgs
Date: 1994
Original Location: Lat: 54° 50' N; Lon: 4° 03' W. On the second floor at rear of the building. Tolbooth Art Centre, Kirkcudbright, Scotland
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Vertical. Declines 30° west of south.
Size: unknown
Adornment: The window dial in Kirkcudbright is divided into four panes, three of which depict Galloway sundials associated with Higgs. The engraving in the fourth pane is of a vertical declining dial and graph of the equation of time to enable the correction for Greenwich Mean Time to be applied. Also etched are The Equation of Time and British Sundial Society logo.
Mottos: None
Inscriptions: 1900 GRH 1994, BSS
Condition: excellent
Comments: Four pane window of double pane etched glass installed by members of the British Sundial Society to honor the distinguished work of BSS chairman, George Higgs (1900 -1994). for his design and restoration of sundials in Scotland. Sundial is in lower right pane. The gnomon is an engraved spot on the outer pane and which casts its shadow on the abraded surface of the inner pane was an original concept designed by Higgs. He discovered subsequently that this idea had first been suggested in 17th century France. Open to the public.
Article by David Young: (1997) The George Higgs Memorial Window
Tolbooth Art Centre Website: Here
Kirk Cudbright Website: Here
24 Hour Museum Website: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photo ‘a’- Original photo. Photos ‘b’ and ‘c’- Transformed photos with black and white glass on false color background. Photo ‘d’- Sundial Pane.
Photos: a b c d e
Designer: George Higgs
Artisan: David Gulland
Date: unknown
Original Location: in private collection, somewhere in England.
Present Location: unknown
Orientation: Vertical. Declines west
Size: 17.8 x 22.9 cm (7 x 9 in)
Adornment: wild boar in country, The Equation of Time
Mottos: none
Adornment: wild boar in country, The Equation of Time, the inscription: "Eversden Parva"
Condition: excellent
Comments: etched glass for window hanging. Designed to hang 2.54 cm (1 in) in front of a window's interior side. Dial has an aperture gnomon that's a dot painted on the house's window with a tiny hole in its center that casts a light beam onto the etched glass dial face.
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of the owner who wishes to remain anonymous.
Photos: a

Dial 188
Dial 8
Dial 50
The Diaphnie Projection Dial
The Roebroeck Projection Heliochronometer
A Diptych Projection Sundial

Designer: unknown
Maker: n/a
Date: 1903
Original Location: n/a
Present Location: n/a
Orientation: Vertical. Adjustable declination.
Size: unknown
Mottos: none
Condition: n/a
Comments: This information was copied from a videotape movie by Hans Behrendt called "Neuzeitliche Glassonnenuhren" (Modern Glass Sundials) 1990. The 'Deutschen Uhrmacherzeitung' (German Clockmakers Journal) of 1903 reported on a "Diaphnie" sundial. Diaphanie means translucent picture. Behrendt calls it an eye sundial. The dial is part of a hemisphere. Toward the window the hemisphere is covered with a round dark stained glass plate with a central small hole through which a bright sunray passes and shines on the hour number ring. Fitted in a frame, this sundial can be hung in front of a window pane. The number ring can be adjusted to the window's declination. The advantage of this design is that no gnomon needs to be attached to the window. A gnomon in front of a free-hanging window pane is inconvenient. There is no evidence that this sundial was ever built.
Article by Fred Sawyer: (August 1994) A Stained Glass Diptych Pattern. "The Compendium" Vol. 1-3 pgs. 6-8 NASS.
Article by Robert Terwilliger: (pen Name: Ave Amici. L. Papirius Cursor) (March 1995). Ave Amici. "The Compendium" Vol. 2-1 pg. 12 NASS.
Article by Thibaud Taudin-Chabot: (August 1994) A Transparent Window Dial. "The Compendium" Vol. 1-3 pgs. 6-8 NASS.
Photo Descriptions: This poor quality photo was copied from a videotape movie by Hans Behrendt called "Neuzeitliche Glassonnenuhren" (Modern Glass Sundials) 1990.
Photos: a
Maker: E. Roebroeck
Date: unknown (late 1900's)
Original Location: Lat: 53° 10.2' N, Lon: 6° 36.7' E. Haren, Netherlands, Groningen province
Present Location: unknown
Orientation: Nodus glass is vertical. Projection screen is horizontal.
Size: unknown (large)
Adornment: none
Mottos: none
Condition: unknown
Comments: This type of dial was invented in 1994 by Dutch dialist Thibaud Taudin-Chabot. There are no known full-scale examples of this extremely rare sundial type installed anywhere! When lit by the sun, the sundial face on the glass projects its image onto a receiving surface. In a building, this could be a wall or a floor. The sundial doesn't have a fixed gnomon attached. Instead, the gnomon is simply a dot on the receiving surface. As the sun moves across the sky, the projected sundial image moves across the receiving surface. The location of the dot gnomon on the projected image indicates the correct time and can also indicate the date.The lack of a three dimensional gnomon makes this type of dial more resistant to damage. Projection dials must have transparent glass or plastic that's colored or clear. They can't have translucent opalescent glass. This dial has a plastic face has drilled hourly analemmas that project an image on the receiving surface with dot gnomon. Shows Standard Time on the hour and the current date
Thibaud Taudin-Chabot’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: I’ve lost track of who sent me these photos. My apologies to the photographer. j.c.
Photos: a b
Maker: Robert Terwilliger, USA
Date: 1994
Original Location: Lat: 40º N. (but it’s adjustable)
Present Location: At maker's location
Orientation: South facing dial has two faces oriented SE and SW
Size: Model is 5 1/2" without column, If built to full size, receiving surface would be about 2-3 feet below eye level.
Adornment: none
Mottos: none
Condition: Original felt tip pen coloring is now faded.
Comments: This type of dial was recently invented in 1994 by Dutch dialist Thibaud Taudin-Chabot. There are no known full-scale examples of this extremely rare sundial type installed anywhere! When lit by the sun, the sundial face on the glass projects its image onto a receiving surface. In a building, this could be a wall or a floor. The sundial doesn't have a fixed gnomon attached. Instead, the gnomon is simply a dot on the receiving surface. As the sun moves across the sky, the projected sundial image moves across the receiving surface. The location of the dot gnomon on the projected image indicates the correct time and can also indicate the date.The lack of a three dimensional gnomon makes this type of dial more resistant to damage. Projection dials must have transparent glass or plastic that's colored or clear. They can't have translucent opalescent glass. This is a plastic stand-alone dial. 1/4" foam board Image projection receiving surface has rounded brass nail head nodus.Dial is horizontal or angled on a plinth. Tells time, equinoxes and solstices. Time says 2:30 on this dial and the date is early fall. Based on original concepts by Fred Sawyer and Thibaud Taudin-Chabot.
Article by Fred Sawyer: (August 1994) A Stained Glass Diptych Pattern. "The Compendium" Vol. 1-3 pgs. 6-8 NASS.
Article by Robert Terwilliger: (pen Name: Ave Amici. L. Papirius Cursor) (March 1995). Ave Amici. "The Compendium" Vol. 2-1 pg. 12 NASS.
Article by Thibaud Taudin-Chabot: (August 1994) A Transparent Window Dial. "The Compendium" Vol. 1-3 pgs. 6-8 NASS.
Twig’s Digs Website: Here
Robert Terwilliger’s Email: Here
Thibaud Taudin-Chabot’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photo is courtesy of Thibaud Taudin Chabot and has been heavily restored using Photoshop.
Photos: a

Dial 122
Dials 113, 114, 115 (left to right)
Dial 49
A Focusing Cylinder Dial
The Owens Reflected Table-top Dials
The Beccheroni Dial

Maker: W.G. Benoy from Newark, Nottinghamshire England
Date: 1983
Original Location: Lat: 52° 18' 15" N, Lon: 4° 51' 06" E. In private collection in Holland.
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: in an equatorial orientation for the owner's latitude
Size: diameter- 50 cm (19.7 in)
Adornment: none
Mottos: none
Condition: good
Comments: Equatorial dial that uses a cylinder of water to focus a ray of light on the timescale. Mounted on stone. Was a gift from the maker in 1983. Adjustable for longitude. Shows summer time only. Another Benoy dial of this type is also on display in the British Science Museum in London.
Photo Descriptions: Photo is courtesy of Thibaud Taudin Chabot.
Photos: a
Designer & Maker: Robert Owens
Date: 1996
Original Location: Lat: 45° 10' N, Lon: 5° 43' E. In a private residence in Grenoble, France
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Horizontal. Declines south.
Size: Dial face: unknown but small, Mirror: unknown but small
Adornment: none
Mottos: none
Condition: unknown
Comments: Unique 3 dimensional variation of traditional glass dials. Horizontal dial face isn't meant to be seen directly. Instead, a mirror below the face, inclined at a 45° angle, reflects an image of the bottom of the glass plate. Gnomon is angled glass edge above a frosted glass horizontal dial face. Like an ordinary horizontal dial, it casts a shadow onto the top the glass face. Owens developed basic concept in early 1985. Similar to Dial 112 in design.
Robert Owens’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Robert Owens.
Photos: Dial 113: a
Photos: Dial 114: a
Photos: Dial 115: a
Maker: Ugo Beccheroni
Date: 1999
Original Location: Bologna Italy
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Vertical. Declines south.
Size: unknown
Adornment: The Equation of Time
Mottos: none
Condition: excellent
Comments: A table-top or window sill dial. Lead shot between the two plates casts a shadow
Photo Descriptions: I have lost track of the source of this photo. My apologies to the photographer. j.c.
Photos: a

Dials 194 and 195 (left to right)
Dial 196
Dial 193
The Clear Horologium Dials
The Light Spot Dial
The Glass Hemispherium Dial

Designer & Maker: Mr. Iwan Kahn, Swiss member of the German Society of Chronometry
Date: unknown exactly, late 1900s
Original Location: Was made in either Wallisellen or Dietlikon Switzerland (both places are near Zurich).
Present Location: unknown
Orientation: Vertical. Adjustable declination.
Size: unknown
Adornment: a sun and primitive roman numerals
Inscriptions: none
Mottos: none
Condition: unknown
Comments: A window hanging dial. (Pat. CH 55-2239). Iwan Kahn developed this new way to focus light onto the dial face by using a cylindrical lens in order to avoid the usual problems with gnomon attachment. Above the pane the lens is visible. Sunrays falling parallel to the lens appear as a bright line on the coaxially arranged half ring, the light conductor. In this ring the ends of multiple optic fibers are embedded over its whole length. These cables send the light to the time indicator ring on the dial face where a point of light tells the time. Since the cables are flexible, the lens can be adjusted to the correct declination for any window.
Drawing of Lens: Here
Cover of Sundial Owner's Manual: Here
Kahn's Comments: Here
Kahn's Article-English Translation (1 MB): Here
Kahn's Brochure in German (PDF 3 MB): Here
Iwan Kahn’s Website: Here
Iwan Kahn’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photo 194a copied from Kahn's article, photo 195a is courtesy of Mr. Kahn.
Photos: Dial 194: a
Photos: Dial 195: a
Designer & Maker: Mr. Iwan Kahn, Swiss member of the German Society of Chronometry
Date: unknown exactly, late 1900s
Original Location: Was made in either Wallisellen or Dietlikon Switzerland (both places are near Zurich).
Present Location: In private collection in Hedingen Switzerland
Orientation: adjustable declination and latitude
Size: unknown
Adornment: none
Inscriptions: "Lichpunkt Sonnenuhr" (Light Spot Sundial); "korrektur äugengrad" (trans?)
Mottos: none
Condition: excellent
Comments: A table-top dial. Iwan Kahn developed this new way to focus light onto the dial face by using a cylindrical lens in order to avoid the usual problems with gnomon attachment. In these photos the lens is visible with 24 optical fiber bundles, each of which has 6 optic fibers, making a total of 144 optic fibers- one for every five minutes. Sunrays falling parallel to the lens appear as a bright line on the coaxially arranged half ring, the light conductor. In this ring the ends of multiple optic fibers are embedded over its whole length. These cables send the light to the time indicator ring on the dial face where a point of light tells the time. Since the cables are flexible, the lens can be adjusted to the correct declination for any window.
Drawing of Lens: Here
Cover of Sundial Owner's Manual: Here
Kahn's Comments: Here
Kahn's Article-English Translation (1 MB): Here
Kahn's Brochure in German (PDF 3 MB): Here
Iwan Kahn’s Website: Here
Iwan Kahn’s Handout: Here
Iwan Kahn’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Klaus Leckebusch (2004)
Photos: a b c
Designer & Maker: Mr. Iwan Kahn, Swiss member of the German Society of Chronometry
Date: unknown exactly, late 1900s
Original Location: Was made in either Wallisellen or Dietlikon Switzerland (both places are near Zurich).
Present Location: unknown
Orientation: polar axis equatorial-type dial that mimics a Chaldean hemispherium.
Size: "angular" sundial, approx. 14 x 14 x 7 cm (5.5 x 5.5 x 2.8 in). Approximately 2 kg glass "round" sundial, Diameter approximately 14 x 7 cm (5.5 x 2.8 in) deep.
Adornment: none
Inscriptions: none
Mottos: none
Condition: unknown
Comments: A table-top or garden sundial. The glass body of this sundials is melted in a fireproof mold in a furnace: The fireproof mould results from casting the model of the sundial with a gypsum-like mass. The mould is filled with glass granulate, which determines color and transparency. The filled mold goes through a burn cycle in the furnace, up to approximately 850° c (1550° f). After cooling, the mold is destroyed. The glass body was then cut and polished. Then the time scale and the shadow staff are fixed in place.
Drawing of Lens: Here
Cover of Sundial Owner's Manual: Here
Kahn's Comments: Here
Kahn's Article-English Translation (1 MB): Here
Kahn's Brochure in German (PDF 3 MB): Here
Iwan Kahn’s Website: Here
Iwan Kahn’s Handout: Here
Iwan Kahn’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photo is copied from Kahn's article.
Photos: a

Dial 192
Dial 191
Dial 187
The Glass Ball and Concentric Ring Dial
The Glass Ball Dial
The Concentric Glass Balls Sundial

Designer & Maker: Mr. Iwan Kahn, Swiss member of the German Society of Chronometry
Date: unknown exactly, late 1900s
Original Location: Was made in either Wallisellen or Dietlikon Switzerland (both places are near Zurich).
Present Location: unknown
Orientation: polar axis equatorial-type dial. Adjustable for any latitude
Size: Diameter of the glass ball approximately 15 cm (6 in). Weighs several kilograms.
Adornment: none
Inscriptions: none
Mottos: none
Condition: unknown
Comments: A table-top sundial. The glass ball focuses the sunlight on the concentric glass half-ring with annealed numerals that surround it. This light spot moves along the time scale depending on the position of the sun, and so serves as a time pointer. The metal parts are for aligning the sundial towards the south and according to longitude and latitude. The sundial is built on a glass base.
Kahn's Brochure on his Garden Sundials: Here
Kahn's Article: Here
Iwan Kahn’s Website: Here
Iwan Kahn’s Handout: Here
Iwan Kahn’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photo ‘a’ is courtesy of Iwan Kahn; photo ‘b’ is copied from Kahn's article.
Photos: a b
Designer & Maker: Mr. Iwan Kahn, Swiss member of the German Society of Chronometry
Date: unknown exactly, late 1900s
Original Location: Was made in either Wallisellen or Dietlikon Switzerland (both places are near Zurich).
Present Location: unknown
Orientation: polar axis equatorial-type dial. Adjustable for any latitude
Size: ball diameter: 12 cm (5 in)
Adornment: Etched hour numerals. Since the ball is also a mirror, the sky is visible in the lower ball half; the landscape under the ball in the upper.
Inscriptions: none
Mottos: none
Condition: unknown
Comments: A table-top sundial. One of the simplest sundial designs consisting of only of a glass ball. The side towards the sun acts as a lens that bundles the rays and throws them on the back of the ball. There, a bright circular spot forms. This circular spot represents the sun as it moves as a time pointer over the hour lines let in on this side. The time reading is simple: The circular area touches or covers one or two hour lines, depending upon time of day. The centre of the circular area is easy to find, and this is the current time of day. The "sun circle" equally covers the hour lines 12h (&XII) and 11h so the current time on the photo lies in between, thus 11:30 h. The ball holder is built in such a manner that the ball can simply be turned through one hour to go from standard to summer time.
Kahn's Brochure on his Garden Sundials: Here
Kahn's Article: Here
Iwan Kahn’s Website: Here
Iwan Kahn’s Handout: Here
Iwan Kahn’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos were copied from Kahn's article.
Photos: a b
Designer & Maker: Mr. Iwan Kahn, Swiss member of the German Society of Chronometry.
Date: unknown exactly, late 1900s
Original Location: Was made in either Wallisellen or Dietlikon Switzerland (both places are near Zurich).
Present Location: unknown
Orientation: polar axis equatorial dial. adjustable declination
Size: outer ball diameter approx. 10 cm.
Adornment: The time numerals are annealed using red glow heat. All metal parts are gilded.
Inscriptions: hourly analemmas
Mottos: none visible
Condition: unknown
Comments: A patented table-top sundial. (Pat.CH 667969-B5). This dial does not use optic fibers and stained glass like Kahn's other dials. Instead, a small hand-blown glass ball filled with colored liquid on the inside acts as a lens, focusing the sunrays to the dial on the inside of the outer glass ball. Here, hourly analemma loops for The Equation of Time are drawn next to the hour numerals for Standard Time readings. The time reading takes place from the outside, or through the ball, or by the adjustable mirror. The relatively heavy mirror serves also as a counterweight and provides for stability. The wood support accommodates the compass necessary to find the north-south direction.
Kahn's Brochure on his Garden Sundials: Here
Kahn's Article: HereIwan Kahn’s Website: Here
Iwan Kahn’s Handout: Here
Iwan Kahn’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Iwan Kahn.
Photos: a b

 
Dial 16
 
Dial 97
The Bateman Noon Dial
 
The Pollähne Dial

Maker: Douglas Bateman
Engraver: T & W Ide
Date: 1996
Original Location: Lat: 51° 16' 45" N. Lon: 0° 47' 33" W. On curtain wall of Cody Building, QinetiQ Ltd, Farnborough England
Present Location: At original location
Orientation: Vertical. Declines 13.5° west of south
Size: 2 x 1.2 m (78.7 x 47 in)
Adornment: none
Mottos: none
Condition: excellent
Comments: Acid etched glass with shot blasted beaded analemma that's gilded in gold leaf. Elliptical disc gnomon with solar image projection hole. Shows Apparent and Mean noon and the date. Accuracy: +/- 7 seconds.
Article by Christopher Daniel (1 MB): (Dec 1996) A Shattering Experience. The Sundial Page, "Clocks" Vol. 9/7
"Sundials in Dera" (PDF 2MB) Booklet: Here
"The Noon Dial" (PDF 643 KB) Booklet: Here
Qinetiq’s Website: Here
Doug Bateman’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photo ‘a’- Interior view of dial and gnomon. Photo ‘b’- Interior view at noon on winter solstice. Photo ‘c’- Exterior view after noon on equinox. Photo ‘d’- Interior view from concourse below balcony
Photos of Window Construction: Here
Photos: a b c d e
  Maker: Erich Pollähne, deceased January, 2005
Date: unknown, but probably 1990's
Original Location: West Germany
Present Location: in private collection in Spain
Orientation: adjustable for any location.
Size: face diameter- 6.6 cm (2.6 in)
Adornment: The Equation of Time graph
Mottos: none
Condition: fair
Comments: Precise universal equatorial acrylic dial that's adjustable for latitude, longitude and the Equation of Time. Has magnetic compass and bubble level but can also function as a sun compass. Gnomon is the base of a cone which focuses a ray of sunlight that indicates the time.
Contact: Erich Pollähne's telephone was: 05103/8425 (in Germany)
Erich Pollähne's Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Erich Pollähne.
Photos: a b

 
Dial 105
 
Dial 121
The "Et Pourtant, Elle Tourne" Dial
 
The Vinzenz Combination Dial

Dial Designer: René Rioux
Glass Artisans: Michèle Lapointe & René Rioux
Date: 1995
Original Location: Lat: 45.49° N. Lon: 73.88° W. Bibliothèque Municipale, Ile Bizard (Public library, Bizard Island), Québec Canada
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Vertical. Declines south
Size: Gnomon length- 3m (118 in), Dial- 1.8 x 3.75 m (5.9 x 12.3 ft.)
Adornment: decorative irregular glass shapes, arrows, lines and dots.
Mottos: none
Condition: excellent
Comments: This is the largest known glass sundial in the world and oldest known Canadian glass sundial. It has alternating wide and thin clear plate glass vertical sections that are sandblasted and joined together. UV acrylic glue was used to attach brass bars and pieces of colored stained waterglass. Numerals are metal strips positioned beneath etched chapter ring. Arrows are hourlines. Small parts from old clocks and appliances are used. This work of modern art was named: "et pourtant, elle tourne" (and yet, it turns), and probably quotes Galileo recanting the recantation of his heresy following the Papal Inquisition. The simple geometrical forms point to pre-Copernican theories of the cosmos. And, in memory of Galileo, the distribution of mural's elements isn't done as the arc of circle, but as the elliptic trajectory of the earth's orbit.
Michèle Lapointe Website: Here
Michèle Lapointe & René Rioux Website: Here
Ile-Bizard Website: Ile-Bizard
Michèle Lapointe & René Rioux Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Michèle Lapointe & René Rioux.
Photos: a b c d e f g h i j
  Maker: Philippi Vinzenz
Date: unknown, probably late 1900's
Original Location: unknown. Possibly somewhere in Germany.
Present Location: unknown
Orientation: This dial can be used as a vertical South or North Dial.
Size: large, size unknown
Adornment: a sun at dial center
Mottos: none
Inscription: "Kombi Sonmenuhr, Verticale, Nord-Sudsunenuhr"
Mottos: none
Condition: unknown
Comments: Unique North and South vertical sundial design shows Longitude corrected solar time and the times and locations of sunrises and sunsets on the equinoxes and solstices. Looks like face is etched glass with glued-on numerals and sun. We are looking for more information on this dial.
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Philippi Vinzenz.
Photos: a b

 
Dial 18
 
Dial 25
The Hartman Skylight Dial
 
The Oglesby Deck Dial

Maker: Claude Hartman
Date: 1999
Original Location: Sundial is the porch ceiling at Mr. Hartman’s home in Arroyo Grande, CA, USA.
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Horizontal
Size: unknown (large)
Adornment: hourly analemmas
Mottos: none
Condition: unknown
Comments: The only known full-scale ceiling transparent sundial. Face is shade cloth. Gnomon is simply a gap in another shade cloth placed above the sundial face. Note how it uses a bright slash of sunlight (or "antishadow") to mark the hour!
Claude Hartman’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Claude Hartman.
Photos: a b
  Maker: Mac Oglesby
Date: 1991
Original Location: Lat: 36.8° N. Long: 81.8° W. in private residence, Glade Spring, VA, USA
Present Location: private collection, Brattleboro VT, USA
Orientation: Vertical. Declines 27° east
Size: 30 x 30 cm (12 x 12 in)
Adornment: none
Mottos: none
Condition: excellent
Comments: 12" square Plexiglas in redwood frame. Gnomon glued to plastic. Black hour dots are 1/4" dimples drilled into the sunny side, then painted black before the entire sunny side was sanded (for paint adhesion) and sprayed yellow. Not too thick, not too thin, just the right amount of paint for proper translucence. Vinyl, self-adhesive numerals and letters.
Mac Oglesby’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Mac Oglesby.
Photos: a b c

 
 
 
Dials 83, 84, 85, 86, 87 and 95 (left to right)
 
 
The Rafael Soler Refraction Dials
 

  Maker: Dr. Rafael Soler Gayá, famous Spanish dialist.
Date: all dials made in 1999
Original Location: Lat: 39.6° N, Lon: 3.4° E. Mallorca, Islas Baleares, Spain
Present Location: various unknown locations in Spain. Dial 95 is in a private collection at Lat: 37° 59' 58" N, Lon: 01° 07' 55" W. Murcia Spain
Orientation: Dials 83 to 87 appear to be due south dials. Dial 83, 84 and 85 are perpendicular to the meridian (polar dials with nonparallel hour lines). Dial 86 is vertical and Dials 87 and 95 are horizontal.
Size: variable, but all are small enough to be portable
Adornment: a sun and various logo designs, dates, latitudes and longitudes. Dial 95 has latitudes of major cities, a sun face, East and West marks, signs of the zodiac, maker's name, logo.
Mottos: Dials 83 and 85: “Temps Verdater” ('True time' in Catalan language), Dial 86: Tempora Tempore Tempera, Dial 95: Tempus Verum
Condition: unknown
Comments: All dials are rare refraction sundials made from metacrilato (acrylics). The gnomon is the intersection of an etched cross or dot on the dial's south-facing backside. It casts a bent refracted image through the thick acrylic and onto the face. To design the faces, Dr. Soler used special mathematical calculations that considered the material's light refractive index and thickness. All dials tell the time and date. Dials 83, 87 and 95 are self-orienting and therefore also function as compasses. Dial 95 is a rare refraction bifilar sundial. Its gnomon is the intersection of a black etched east/west line on the dial's face with a vertical post. It casts a bent refracted image through the thick acrylic and onto the face. All dials were presented as gifts from the Balear government and are part of a series.
Asociación de Amigos de los Relojes de Sol Website: Here
Dr. Soler Gayá’s Mailing Address: Rafael Soler Gayá, CL Tous i Maroto 6, 1-2, 07001 Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears Spain
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Dr. Rafael Soler Gayá.
Photos: Dial 83: a
Photos: Dial 84: a
Photos: Dial 85: a
Photos: Dial 86: a b
Photos: Dial 87: a b c
Photos: Dial 95: a
 

Etched Glass Sundials 21st Century (2000's)

Dial 140
Dials 9, 72, 76, and 98 (left to right)
Dial 13
The City Sundial
The Spectra Dials
The Shaw Double Pane Dial

Maker: Dieter Vogt
Date: April 2004
Original Location: Lat: 52.09° N, Lon: 7.61° E. Greven Germany. Mr. Vogt makes similar ones for other locations in Germany.
Present Location: this one is at its original location.
Orientation: Vertical. Declines south.
Size: appoximately 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 in)
Adornment: two yellow suns, date and time labels.
Mottos: none
Condition: excellent
Comments: Vogt calls this precise Standard Time sundial the "Stadtsonnenuhr" (The City Sundial). It's for desktop or window-sill indoor use. He custom-makes them for each customer's location, and they have built-in longitude correction and a built-in Equation of Time in the wavy hourlines. They also tell the month and the season. They're made from 5 mm acrylic glass with an adhesive film printed with the markings. There are separate winter and summer time scales. Since each wavy time line is half an analemma, you flip the sundial face upside-down when the solstices begin.
Stadtsonnenuhr Website: Here
Dieter Vogt’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Dieter Vogt.
Photos: a b
Designer & Maker: Jim Tallman, owner of Artisan Industrials Corp. Mr. Tallman is one of America’s few professional sundial designers and makers, and he is a good friend and a member of NASS and BSS.
Date: from 2002 to present
Original Location: All dials are custom-designed for desktops or window sills for hundreds of clients from all over the world.
Present Location: Most are probably at their original locations
Orientation: All dials are vertical with different declinations. Most decline south.
Size: height- 27.9 cm (11 in)
Adornment: All have The Equation of Time graph etched on the glass. Some special edition Spectra sundials feature corporate logos or other artwork.
Mottos: Different mottos are engraved on many of the dials.
Inscriptions: Many have different personalized engraved inscriptions.
Condition: Most are probably still in excellent condition.
Comments: These handsome dials make reasonably priced gifts and awards considering that they are custom-made for each client. Dial faces are of thick beveled etched glass panes mounted into handsome sturdy cast stone bases. The beveled glass edges cast colorful moving prism spectral beams on nearby surfaces. All have polar axis sheet metal gnomons. They accurately tell the dates of the solstices and equinoxes and most have date lines for birthdays or anniversaries. Jim Tallman custom-designs and delineates each sundial for each owner’s location and tastes. The North American Sundial Society often awards them to the recipients of the annual Sawyer Dialing Prize. As of 2008, Artisan Industrials is the only American sundial maker that offers custom-made etched glass sundials for sale. You can see additional photos of them on the website below.
Spectra Sundial Page on Website: Here
Artisan Industrials Corp. Website: Here
Jim Tallman’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Jim Tallman. Photo 9b shows several dials in the Spectra Series.
Photos: Dial 9: a b
Photos: Dial 72: a
Photos: Dial 76: a
Photos: Dial 98: a
Maker: Mike Shaw
Date: 2001
Original Location: Lat: 53° 22' N, Lon: 3° 2' W. Wirral England
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: declines 76° west of south
Size: face- 40 x 40 cm (15.7 x 15.7 in), pane separation: .44 cm (.17 in)
Adornment: none
Mottos: none
Condition: excellent
Comments: A prototype table-top or window sill dial. Unique double glazed etched glass design. The outer pane has an etched double arrow gnomon that casts a shadow on the sundial face of the inner pane. Tells equinoxes, solstices and the time.
Mike Shaw’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photo is courtesy of Mike Shaw.
Photos: a

Dial 80
Dials 21, 22, 23 (left to right)
Dial 20
A Beccheroni Table Dial
The Grotto Dials
The La Sapienza Noon Dial

Maker: Ugo Beccheroni
Date: 2002
Original Location: private residence. San Lazzaro, Bologna Italy
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Vertical. Declines south
Size: 25 x 8 x 23 cm (9.8 x 3 x 9 in)
Adornment: sun, zodiacal signs, The Equation of Time
Mottos: Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)
Condition: excellent
Comments: This is an etched Plexiglas dial for a table-top or window sill. Lead shot gnomon is located between the two plates and casts a shadow onto the dial face on the inner plate. This is a fine example from a series of similar Beccheroni dials.
Ugo Beccheroni’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Ugo Beccheroni.
Photos: a
Maker: Alessandro Grotto
Date: 2000
Original Location: Lat: 45.52° N, Lon: 11.55° E. In private residence, Vicenza Italy
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: All are vertical. Dials 21 & 22 decline 63° west of south; Dial 23 declines 27.22° west of south.
Size: unknown
Adornment: The Equation of Time
Mottos: none
Condition: excellent
Comments: These are made for exterior balcony railings, window sills or table-tops.  The gnomon is opposite the viewing side, and is made with a taut cable, with a small sphere for a nodus.  These dials also tell the date.
Alessandro Grotto Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Alessandro Grotto.
Photos: Dial 21: a
Photos: Dial 22: a
Photos: Dial 23: a
Maker: Mario Catamo, Cesare Lucarini
Date: 2000
Original Location: On a large window at Faculty of Pharmacy, University "La Sapienza", Rome Italy
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Vertical. Probably declines south
Size: unknown
Adornment: Medieval pharmacopiae alchemical symbols surround the analemma.
Mottos: “Hora Aetnea XII, Si Sedes Nox Is, 2000” (trans?)
Condition: unknown
Comments: Dial has an etched glass face. A Standard Time noon dial that also tells the date. Unique external gnomon is a tri-focal lens system.
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Mario Catamo.
Photos: a b

Dial 106
Dial 469
Dial 468
The Hollander Beer Glass Dial
The Sonnen Zylinder Dials
The Jackie Jones Beer Glass Dial

Maker: Hendrik Hollander, famous award-winning Dutch sundial designer.
Date: mid 2002
Original Location: Lat: 52° N, Lon: 5° E. Amsterdam, Holland (The Netherlands).
Present Location: 200 glasses were made originally and are now scattered throughout Holland.
Orientation: variable. Glass must rest on horizontal table but works only when oriented towards the sun's direction.
Size: height- 13.5 cm (5.3 in), width- 6 cm (2.3 in)
Adornment: URL Website: Analemma.nl
Mottos: none
Condition: unknown
Comments: The innovative idea of this etched drinking glass sundial is that you can see whether it is 5 pm so you can fill the glass with a beer. To tell Standard (clock) Time, you set the glass on a table in the sun and turn it until the shadow spot points at the right date. The glass doesn't need to be turned again. The glass will not function correctly if filled with liquid because of light refraction. In 2007 I came across the “Livingtime” website below that sells similar drinking glass sundials. We have written to Livingtime to ask them if they are associated with Mr. Hollander but we have not received a reply.
Owner's Manuals (Dutch): Here
Owner's Manuals (English): Here
Anelemma.nl (Dutch) Website: Here
Anelemma.nl (English) Website: Here
Livingtime Website: Here
Hendrik Hollander’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photo ‘a’ is courtesy of Hendrik Hollander. Photo ‘b’ is copied from Livingtime website.
Photos: a b
Delineator: Dr. Peter Zacharias, Vor dem Hassel 12, 21220 Seevetal, Tel. 0177 - 7 18 28 18
Glass Maker: unknown
Date: unknown. Probably around 2011
Original Location: unknown. Probably Seevetal Germany
Present Location: unknown somewhere in Germany
Orientation: Inclination: vertical, Declination: variable
Size: variable
Adornment: world maps
Mottos: none visible
Inscriptions: none
Condition: unknown
Comments: Since we have not translated competely both websites, we are lacking information on these dials in English. Sundial uses the refraction of light in a cylinder to show the time and simultaneous date measurement, showing the current conditions of the sun over the earth. This new type of sun clock came from the hobby of a creative physicist (Dr. Erwin Kretschmann) after new mathematical computations. The clock was registered with the German patent and office for mark to 29.11.2007 into the register of designs under AZ. 20 2007 010 819.2.”
Website: Here
Website: Here
Email: Here
Photo Description: Photos are courtesy of Peter Zacharias and are taken from his website.
Photos: a b
Delineators: Jackie Jones and Mike Cowham
Designers: Jackie Jones, sundial designer, and Steve Chapman, an organizer of the Hanover Beer Festival in Brighton England.
Glass Maker: a firm in Wales called Inspiration
Date: made in 2011
Original Location: Designed for Lat. 51° N. in Brighton England.
Present Location: 96 glasses were produced, most in 2011 were still in Brighton area. Although designed in Brighton, they work anywhere in the world at this latitude. It will continue to tell you the time through Canada – Banff, Calgary, Regina, Moose River; Europe -  Bideford, Southampton, Calais, Gent, Brussels, Dresden; then the Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, north Mongolia and north China.
Orientation: Inclination: inclining, nearly vertical, Declination: probably south
Size: one pint 23oz (653cc) beer glass. Height- 163mm (6.5in); width- 68 to 88mm (2.7 to 3.5in). There is a line to indicate the volume of a pint which allows room for a head of beer.
Adornment: scrollwork with the basic instructions- “Rotate the glass to place a spot of sunlight on the month column & read the time”.
Mottos: unknown
Inscriptions: Sunglass
Condition: excellent in 2011
Comments: This is an accurately designed altitude sundial made by screen printing. It doesn’t have to be fixed in one position.  It’s turned during the day so the sun always shines through the ring onto the current month.  No compass is needed. First, either start with an empty glass or drink some of your beer: not too much, just so the current month is above the beer.  This is because light is refracted differently through liquid.  Then place the glass on a level surface and turn it until the sun shines through the ring and onto the month you are in.  Select the part of the column that relates to the date – if it is the 15th, aim the beam of sunlight at the middle.   Read the time off on the hour lines that go across the glass. You will find that, as time progresses, you will have to turn the glass round so the sun still shines on the same date. The beam of sunlight moves upwards in the afternoon or down towards noon if you have started drinking in the morning. It also shows sunrise and sunset times for any date – just follow the date up to the top line and read the hour. Jackie Jones will be writing about its creation in the Dec 2011 British Sundial Society Bulletin.
Website: Here
Website: Here
Email: Here
Photo Description: Photos are courtesy of Jackie Jones and were taken from her website.
Photos: a

Dial 207
Dial 222
Dial 342
A Peter Scherffig Noon Dial
The Italian Scherffig Noon Dial
The Scherffig Erlangen Noon Dial

Designer & Fabricator: Peter Scherffig of Erlangen Germany. (deceased)
Glass Sandblasting: by unknown local sandblasting company
Date: January, 2005
Original Location: Lat: 49° 35.5' N, Lon: 11° 0.5' E. At Mr. Scherffig's home in Erlangen, Germany
Present Location: at original location.
Orientation: Vertical. Declines south.
Size: 30 x 21cm (11.8 x 8.3 in)
Adornment: Analemma for time-correction. M indicates high noon at local time.
Inscriptions: Uhr - Glas - Uhr, transparenter vertikaler Mittagsweiser, Nr. 2005 / G1
Mottos: none
Condition: excellent
Comments: Mounted on a free-standing stand set outside the building. Sandblasted Glass Face. A Standard Time Noon Dial that also tells the date. Time zone at 15 ° E. (MEZ). Hole - gnomon at 12 cm (4.7 in) distance. Nr. 2005 / G1.
Contact: Peter Scherffig, Stettiner Str. 22, D - 91058 Erlangen, Germany
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Peter Scherffig. Photo ‘b’ is plastic prototype.
Photos: a b
Designer & Fabricator: Peter Scherffig of Erlangen Germany. (deceased)
Glass Sandblasting: by unknown local sandblasting company
Date: March, 2005
Original Location: Lat: 44° 49' N, Lon: 7° 6' E. In unknown building in Serre dei Campi di Bobbio Pellice (TO), Italy
Present Location: at original location.
Orientation: Vertical. Declines south
Size: 40 x 30 cm (15.7 x 11.8 in)
Adornment: Coordinates of location and analemma for time-correction. M indicates high noon at local time.
Inscriptions: Uhr - Glas - Uhr, transparenter vertikaler Mittagsweiser, Nr. 2005 / G1
Mottos: “LUX MIDI FLUX” (trans?)
Condition: excellent
Comments: Mounted at an angle on window casement outside the building. Sandblasted glass face. A Standard Time Noon Dial that also tells the date. Time zone of mount Etna (Sicily) at 15 ° E. (TMEC). Gnomon hole is 12cm from face.
Contact: Peter Scherffig, Stettiner Str. 22, D - 91058 Erlangen, Germany
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Peter Scherffig.
Photos: a b c
Designer & Fabricator: Peter Scherffig of Erlangen Germany
Glass Sandblasting: by unknown local sandblasting company
Date: Dec 2005 to Jan 2006, mounted July 2006
Original Location: Lat: 49° 35.5' N; Lon: 11° 0.5' E. at Stettiner Strasse 22 91058, Erlangen Germany
Present Location: at original location.
Orientation: Inclination: vertical, Declination: due South
Size: height- 35 cm (13.8 in), width- 28 cm (11 in)
Inscriptions: none
Adornment: analemma for time-correction. Coordinates of location. M indicates high noon at local time.
Mottos: “HOMO FABER, HOMO LUDENS” (Man (sometimes) Works, Man (sometimes) Gambles)
Condition: excellent
Comments: Sandblasted Glass Face. A Standard Time Noon Dial that also tells the date. Time zone at 15 ° East (MEZ). Aperture gnomon 14cm from face. You can read the dial from either the front or the backside (but text is reversed).Mr. Scherffig sent us these photos on October 17, 2006 and he passed away from cancer just eight days later on October 25, 2006. So he must have been proud of this, his last sundial. For more information, you can contact his daughter at the email address below.
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Peter Scherffig.
Photos: a b c

Dial 304
Dial 201
Dial 303
A CD Refraction Dial Sculpture
The Golden Wedding Dial
A CD Refraction Dial

Designer and Maker: Joël Robic
Date: March 2005
Original Location: Bruz Brittany, France
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Vertical. The different CDs' axis are not polar but are oriented on different hour planes
Size: 4 x 2 m (157 x 78.7 in)
Adornment: figures for hours
Mottos: none
Condition: good
Comments: Information is courtesy of Joël Robic. An original sculpture made of 46 CD ROMs moving and shining in the wind. The way to read the time is original too because you need to find which CD ROM makes the right iridescent reflection when you stand in front of them.
Cadrans Solaires Mobile CD Website: Here
Cadrans Solaires Website: Here
Joël Robic’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Joël Robic 2005
Photos: a
Co-designer and Delineator: BSS member John Wall from Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire
Co-designer and Glass Engraver: David Gulland, glass artisan from Dumfries
Date: August 7th, 2004
Original Location: Lat: 54° 16' N; Lon: 0° 56' W. At John Wall's Home, Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire.
Present Location: in original location.
Orientation: Vertical. Declines by an unknown amount towards the southeast.
Size: 42.3 x 102.9 cm (16.25 x 40.5 in)
Adornment: The initials of Mr. Wall and his wife Betty are copied from their iron gate. The Equation of Time, equinox and solstice lines are included. There are four symbolic flowers at the corners: Wallflower, Morning Glory, Evening Primrose and Globe flower representing the earth spinning on its axis. The latitude and longitude are engraved.
Mottos: “LUX ET AMOR QUEMQUE DIEM REGUNT AB ORIENTE SOLE AD SOLIS OCCASUM” (Light and Love Rule Each Day from Sunrise to Sunset)
Condition: excellent
Comments: Dial commemorates the Golden Anniversary of the Walls. An aperture gnomon is located on the original outer pane of glass and shines a spot of sunlight onto the inner pane that has the engravings.
Article by John Wall (3.5 MB): (2004) Sundial for a Golden Wedding "The BSS Bulletin" No. 16 (IV) pgs. 160-162
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of John Wall (2005).
Photos: a b
Designer and Maker: Joël Robic
Date: March 2005
Original Location: Bruz Brittany, France
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: equatorial sundial
Size: 40 cm (15.7 in)
Adornment: Arabic numerals for hours and South indication
Mottos: none
Condition: good
Comments: Information is courtesy of Joël Robic. 2005A CD-ROM functions as an equatorial sundial without a gnomon or shadow. If you look at the gnomon axis you can see the iridescent hour line on the CD that replaces the gnomon shadow
Cadrans Solaires CD Page Website: Here
Cadrans Solaires Website: Here
Joël Robic’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Joël Robic (2005).
Photos: a

Dial 412
Dial 81
Dial 125
The Heath Dial
The Alberi-Auber Aperture Dial
The Majó Dial

Designer & Maker: Dale Heath, designer and maker. Roger Smith Signs, Guernsey, carried out the printing.
Date: 2006
Original Location: Lat: 49° 27’ 11” N, Lon: 2° 33’ 12” W. At home of Mr. G B (Dale) Heath (tel 01481 720832)- Le Pré (behind "La Niche"), Rue à L’Or, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 1OG. Guernsey is a Channel Island and a Crown Dependency, and not part of the UK.
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Vertical. Declines 1.25º east of south.
Size: 70 x 48 cm (27.6 x 18.9 in)
Adornment: none
Mottos: "Sol constans est dum terra mondet." (The Sun is Constant while the Earth Moves.)
Inscriptions: “Le Pre.” Longitude (49° 27’ 11” N) and latitude (2° 33’ 12” W)”. Noon analemma.
Condition: excellent
Comments: Information is courtesy of David Le Conte. Access- Private. Visible from road. Contact owner for full access. Dial is printed on transparent film, mounted on frosted glass. Copper aperture plate mounted on gnomon. The owner advises that the wall on which the sundial is mounted (and which was built with the sundial in mind) was intended to be orientated exactly east-west, so that the dial could be a direct south-facing one. However, he found that this produced an unacceptable non-symmetry in the dial design, so he had the wall built at an azimuth of 90º less half the longitude. The dial therefore declines east by 1 1/4º.
David Le Conte Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photo is courtesy of David Le Conte.
Photos: a
Maker: Paolo Alberi-Auber
Date: October 2002
Original Location: Lat: 45° 38' 33'' N, Lon: 13° 45' 44'' E. Trieste, Italy
Present Location: the same
Orientation: declines 2.7° east of south
Size: Base- 94 cm (37 in), Height- 59 cm (23.3 in)
Adornment: a bell, the fabrication date, a fly, Equation of Time values around the perimeter are given to the hyperbolic date lines.
Mottos: “Veritas Temporis Filia” (Truth is a Daughter of Time)
Condition: very good
Comments: Face is sandblasted etched glass. Unusual aperture gnomon projects a beam of sunlight that shows local solar time and the date using the 10-day date lines. You read the time correction (Equation of time + time zone shift) in order to calculate Standard Mean Time (at right end are the correction values for day lines on growing declinations, at left end are decreasing ones). In this photo the light beam indicates that it is 2 pm in early November. This photo was taken on November 6th at 13:49 Standard Time as shown in digital date and hour shown on the installation photo. Notice the high precision.
Paolo Alberi Website: Here
Paolo Alberi’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Paolo Alberi-Auber.
Photos: a b
Sundial Designer: André Majó
Glass Artisan: Irene Lopez Torrent
Date: 2004
Original Location: Lat: 41° 31' 31" N; Lon: 02° 22' 15" E. at the Museo de Relojes de Sol (The Sundial Museum), Cabrils in Barcelona Spain. The Museum and dial are owned by André Majó.
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Vertical. Declines south
Size: 35 x 20 cm (13.8 x 7.9 in)
Adornment: smiling sunface, paint-speckled background, signed & dated
Mottos: “Carpe Diem” (Seize the Day)
Condition: excellent, but appears the gnomon is missing.
Comments: for table-top display with a wood frame. Dial face is a single piece of etched glass. The sunface, hour lines, and speckling are of kiln-fired fused glass.
Photo Descriptions: Photo ‘b’ is courtesy of Antonio J. Canones and is the original photo. Photo ‘a’ is the photoshopped version of ‘b’ that crops and fixes perspective distortion.
Photos: a b

 
Dial 178
 
Dial 403
The Ahlers Aperture Dials
 
The Santa Maria Maggiore Dial

Designer: Dietrich Ahlers
Maker: Glaserei Oelze Bremen (auf Fensterglas geästzt)
Date: unknown. Probably 2004
Original Location: Lat: 52° 59' 0" N, Lon: 8° 48' 19" E. At Angelser Field 3, 28844 Weyhe, Germany.
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Vertical. Declines 33° to the west of south.
Size: unknown
Adornment: Dial faces have split half analemmas with 1st of the month date marks, solstice hyperbolas and an equinox line. The upper dial also has a curve for May 8, Mr. Ahler's birthday. Both dials have two time scales: hour numerals on top tell Central European Time, and bottom numerals tell Central European Summer Time.
Mottos: none
Inscriptions: Top Dial: Dec. 21 to Jun 21; Bottom Dial: Jun 21 to Dec 21
Condition: excellent
Comments: Balcony door window panel has two separate sundials etched into an inner glass pane. Each dial has hourly split analemmas for half a year that permit Standard Mean Time readings. Both gnomon disks have aperature holes. These are etched onto the outer pane and project spots of light onto the dial faces on the inner pane.
Olbers Planetarium at the University of Bremen Website: Here
Dietrich Ahlers’ Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Dietrich Ahlers.
Photos: a b c d
  Designer & Maker: unknown. Possibly Gim Bonzani since the photo was on his website.
Date: begun in 2003, completed in 2006
Original Location: on stone wall of little building at unknown place in Santa Maria Maggiore VB Italy
Orientation: Inclination: vertical. Declination: declines to the East of South
Size: unknown
Adornment: Solar Noon "hanging bell"
Mottos: maybe
Inscriptions: There are inscriptions, but they are not readable from looking at this poor photo.
Condition: unknown
Comments: Made of unbreakable clear glass with etched lines and markings. It indicates the true Solar Time (hours and half hours from the 6:30 am to the 14 pm) with a mean time analemma for 12 noon. It has an equinox and the winter solstice line. Has an aperture disk gnomon. Carmichael says that since the glass is clear and not frosted or opalescent, that the shadow of the gnomon disk and its spot of light will unfortunately not be visible unless it falls on the etched parts. The numerals are not reversed as is common with these types of dials, meaning that the dial is meant to be read from the sunny gnomon side of the dial. Photo from website below. We need better photos and more information.
Gim Bonzani Website: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photo is copied from website above.
Photos: a

Dial 335
Dial 334
Dial 435
The Glass Neon Dial
The Green Glass Dial
The Kitt Peak Glass Ball Dial

Designer and Maker: made by Pro Cutting in Las Vegas Nevada
Date: unknown, probably early 2000s
Original Location: unknown, probably USA
Present Location: unknown
Orientation: horizontal
Size: unknown
Adornment: a shark, ocean waves and ornamental circular shapes. The dial face appears to be illuminated by neon colored lighting located under an aluminum border around the glass sundial face.
Mottos: none
Inscriptions: none
Condition: unknown
Comments: unique ornamental all-glass sundial with a glass gnomon & face. It is has a severely flawed gnomonic design and will not function as a sundial because the hour lines do not radiate from the base of the gnomon.
Procutting Website: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photo is copied from website above.
Photos: a
Designer and Maker: made by Pro Cutting in Las Vegas Nevada
Date: unknown, probably early 2000s
Original Location: unknown, probably USA
Present Location: unknown
Orientation: horizontal
Size: unknown
Adornment: none
Mottos: none
Inscriptions: none
Condition: unknown
Comments: unique ornamental all-glass sundial with a glass gnomon & face. It is has a severely flawed gnomonic design and will not function as a sundial because the hour lines do not radiate from the base of the gnomon.
Procutting Website: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photo is copied from website above.
Photos: a
Delineator: created by University of Arizona Optical Sciences Professor Emeritus Stephen Jacobs
Glass Artist: unknown. Possibly by Stephen Jacobs
Date: installed in June 2005
Original Location: Kitt Peak National Observatory west of Tucson Arizona, USA
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: This is an equatorial sundial
Size: unknown
Adornment: none
Inscriptions: unknown
Mottos: unknown
Condition: excellent
Comments: The glass ball focuses a point of bright light onto the curved etched glass piece below it which is marked with hours. Design was based on a Campbell-Stokes sunshine recorder and took Jacobs fifteen years to design and make. It appears in these photos that the focused point of projected light is out of sharp focus because it is not small. It might be possible that this was done on purpose to prevent overheating of the projection screen.
References: Sawyer, Fred. (June 2010) Sightings…At Kitt Peak Observatory. "The Compendium" Vol. 17-2 pg15 ISSN 1074-3197 The North American Sundial Society.
Photo Descriptions: Photos are by Matt Anderson. © All rights reserved. We have his permission to post them here.
Matt Anderson’s Photo ‘a’ Website: Here
Matt Anderson’s Photo ‘b’ Website: Here
Photos: a b c d e

Dial 454
Dial 441
Dial 451
The Magnani Projection Dial
The Zaragoza Dial
The Glass Globe Dial

Delineator: unknown
Maker: NASS member Silvio Magnani.
Date: 2002 and 2003
Original Location: since it is a Universal dial, it can be placed anywhere. Mr. Magnani made about ten of these dials. These are in Italy
Present Location: These are in Italy.
Orientation: equatorial
Size: unknown
Adornment: none
Inscriptions: none
Mottos: none
Condition: good in 2009
Comments: This dial might was displayed at the 2009 NASS Conference in Portland. This is a great little dial! It’s quite complex when you study it.  It has stencil-like cuts in the curved metal shade.  These cutouts project an image onto a glass projection screen underneath.  I think the curved bowl-like screen is made of etched or frosted glass.  A pair of red dots are on the screen.  Each dot is a nodus. When the stencil image of an analemma passes over a dot, the image shows the time.  Curved hourlines are split analemmas which tell watch (mean) time.  There are two sets for use during different seasons. See PDF documents below for more detailed information in Italian.
Paper by Silvio Magnani (in Italian): (2002) Orologio Solare Universale a Trasparenza
Paper by Silvio Magnani (in Italian): (2002) Orologio Solare Universale a Trasparenza in Puglia
Silvio Magnani’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos ‘a’ to ‘d’ are courtesy of Silvio Magnani and were copied from his papers. They show several different dials at different locations. Photo ‘e’ was taken by John Carmichael at the 2009 NASS conference.
Photos: a b c d e
Delineator: Juan Antonio Ros
Builder: J-Carrera; V-Ejido.
Date: 2008
Original Location: Lat- 40° 40’ 04” N; Lon- 1° 00 10” W. In a circular garden planter at unknown location in Zaragoza Spain
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Inclination-vertical. Declines due south
Size: Diameter 1.800 mm
Adornment: The Equation of Time
Inscriptions: User Instructions
Mottos: AMICIS QUALIBET HORA
Condition: excellent in 2010
Comments: Made from stainless steel and glass. It is translucent and can be read from both sides. Has built-in longitude correction. Precise to about one minute after appling the Equation of time corrections.
Photo Descriptions: Photo ‘b’ is by Juan Antonio Ros. Photo ‘a’ is a cropped copy of photo ‘b’
Website: none known
Juan Antonio Ros’s Email: Here
Photos: a b
Delineator: David Harber
Maker: David Harber
Date: unknown, but probably 21st century
Original Location: unknown place in England
Present Location: unknown
Orientation: Equatorial
Size: unknown
Adornment: none
Inscriptions: none
Mottos: none
Condition: good in 2010
Comments: hand blown etched glass globe which functions as an equatorial sundial on a column of stainless steel discs. We’d like more information about this dial.
Photo Descriptions: Photo is by David Harber from the Flickr website below
Flickr Website: Here
David Harber Sundials Website: Here
Photos: a

Dial 467
Dial 464
Dial 470
The Carlo Heller Lochgnomon Dial
The Schiavone Bowie Portal Dial
The Sundial Window Dial

Delineator: Dr. Ing. Carlo Heller, Begasweg 3, 65195 Wiesbaden, Tel.: 0611 - 185 11 06, Fax: 0611 - 59 83 29
Artists: Carlo Heller
Date: probably installed in 2011
Original Location: Lat: unknown N, Lon: unknown E. Zone 1 Nr. 9: Höhensonnenuhr, Hoehen-sonnenuhr-2105. in Friaul- northeastern Italy
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Inclination: vertical, Declination: variable
Size: unknown
Adornment: a stork and zodiacal signs
Mottos: none
Inscriptions: none visible in photo
Condition: excellent in 2011
Comments: Made from etched glass and steel. Here is a poor computer assisted translation from explainatory German text in website below- “Time is determined from the altitude and the declination of the sun, hence the name- altitude dial. The readings are made with a so-called Lochgnomon- a light spot, which is projected by a screen on the swivel arm. The structural steelwork frames the sun quadrant from glass. In order to read the time, the following steps are necessary: Date from the animal circle calendar determine and adjust the swivel arm; Turn instrument to sunlight through the Lochgnomon penetrates (on straight lines edge); Light spot appears on the swivel arm, there the ancient hour is read off. The numerical data refer to in the morning hours (I-VI) and in the afternoon hours (VI-XII). One must decide thus, which time straight is valid. The Sundial can be turned around 360° so that the time can be read off all day long.”
Website: Here
Email: Here
Photo Description: Photo is courtesy of Carlo Heller, and was taken from his website.
Photos: a
Delineator and Artisan: NASS members, Gino Schiavone and Judith Schiavone. Business- The Schiavone Studio at 1337 Gusdorf Road, Ste J; Taos, NM 8757. Tel: 575-758-7797, 575-613-0943
Date: installed in early 2011
Original Location: Lat. 38° 56’ 35.6” N, Lon. 76° 43’ 48.4” E. On a tall pedestal in front of City Hall in Bowie, Maryland USA. (off Evergreen Parkway and Emerald Avenue)
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: Inclination: vertical, Declination: Direct South
Size: 15.5', high, 10' wide, within a 16' compass rose
Adornment: a fly in lower corner of face is on glass. Base sits on beautiful porcelain tile compass rossete. Dial is lit by lights at night. Dial sits high atop a modern looking metal stand making it visible from a distance and vandal resistant.
Mottos: On yonder clock, On yonder tower, Is shown the time, By civil hour. Upon this dial, Upon this tower, Is shown the time, By solar hour. No matter what, The clock might say, The noon I show, Is true midday.
Inscriptions: none
Condition: excellent in 2011
Comments: Gino won a design contest by the city of Bowie to construct this sundial. NASS webpage below says: “The dial has a plaque for the Equation of Time including longitude correction, making the sundial an accurate timepiece. Surrounding the base of the dial is a tile mosaic compass rose of cardinal points, creating the perfect setting for the monumental dial. Standing some feet away from the dial you can simultaneously see the sundial and the new Bowie City Hall tower clock. The idea for a sundial started in early 2009 when the City Council decided to add a working sundial to the front landscape. The Director of Community Services prepared a Call to Artists and enlisted the North American Sundial Society to assist the Public Arts Panel to evaluate responses. By November 2009, three semifinalists were invited to visit Bowie, meet the architects, and see the construction site. Alvin Sher, Rafe Ropek, and Gino Schiavone each prepared their vision of the Bowie City dial and submitted models. Within a month, the panel selected the design by Gino Schiavone and his wife, Judith. The design and crafting of the dial and the tile mosaic base took just over a year. On site installation of the dial took nearly a week, with Gino shipping more than 6000 pounds of steel, bronze and stone from New Mexico to Maryland. Preparation of the dial site and heavy assembly work for dial placement of the dial was made possible by the architects Grimm & Parker. The dial is erected on two stainless steel posts that hold the 48 x 66” copper and bronze vertical dial 15 ft. off the ground. The dial is a beautiful filigree vertical bronze dial using a frosted glass dial surface sandwiched in between two metal panels such that the gnomon’s shadow of time can be seen from both the City Hall and Evergreen Parkway. The base of the dial forms a portal, reflecting the dial’s name “Bowie Portal Sundial”. Two granite benches flank the portal and underneath the benches is a theme of running horses, making reference to Bowie’s long racing history. At the entrance of the sundial portal is a bronze outline of children playing, reflecting upon the true asset of Bowie, typically thought of as a “bedroom community” to Washington DC.
Design, Construction & Installation Video: Here
NASS Website Dial Description: Here
Bowie Portal Sundial Album Website: Here
Bowie City Hall Website: Here
Gino Schiavone’s Email: Here
Photo Description: Photos are courtesy of Gino Schiavone, and were sent to us by him.
Photos: a b c d e f g h i j
Delineator: unknown
Artists: unknown
Date: probably early 21st century
Original Location: unknown
Present Location: unknown
Orientation: Inclination: vertical, Declination: unknown
Size: unknown
Adornment: none visible
Mottos: none visible
Inscriptions: none visible
Condition: unknown
Comments: we need more information on this dial.
Website: Here
Photo Description: Photos are copied from the website above
Photos: a

 
Dial 107
Dial 111
 
The Cube Dial
Sundial for the Blind
 

Maker: Hendrik Hollander
Date: 2002
Original Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands
Present Location: Amsterdam
Orientation: Vertical. One dial face declines at azimuth 225°, the other declines at 135°
Size: cube- 6 x 6 x 6 cm (2.5 in)
Adornment: none
Mottos: none
Condition: good
Comments: One dial face is for January to June, the other is for July to December. Shows both Standard (Dutch: Wintertijd) and Daylight Saving Time (Dutch: Wintertijd). Dial is self-orienting: the cube will orient itself when you manually turn the sunspot onto the right date-line.
Anelemma.nl (Dutch) Website: Here
Anelemma.nl (English) Website: Here
Hendrik Hollander’s Email: Here
Photo Descriptions: Photo is courtesy of Hendrik Hollander.
Photos: a
Designer & Maker: Claude Guicheteau
Date: April 2003
Original Location: Latitude and longitude are unknown, but dial was designed for Aiffres 79230, France
Present Location: at original location
Orientation: equatorial with polar axis
Size: sphere diameter- 15 cm (6 in)
Adornment: none visible
Mottos: none are visible
Condition: unknown
Comments: modern rendition of an equatorial sundial based on a design described in 1778 by Jacques Ozanam, mathematician of king Louis XIV, that used a glass ball of water to focus the sun's rays so that they successively heat up the various hour bars - thus making it possible for someone who is blind to tell the time by touch. This modern version uses a solid glass sphere instead of water-filled sphere.
References: "The Mathematical Recreations" (1778). Serial of exercises in all the scientific domains at that time: mechanics, astronomy, and chemistry in 3 or 4 volumes. In the gnomonique section, an exercise is suggested making a sundial for blind person.
Website: Here
Design Article (French): Here
Design Article (Rough English Translation): Here
Photo Descriptions: Photos are courtesy of Claude Guicheteau.
Photos: a b c
 

Contact:

John L. Carmichael
Sundial Sculptures
925 E. Foothills Dr.
Tucson AZ 85718-4716
USA
Tel: 520-6961709
Email: John Carmichael (author)
Email : Dave Bell (webmaster)

My Websites:

(business) Sundial Sculptures: http://www.sundialsculptures.com
(educational) Chinook Trail Sundial: http://advanceassociates.com/Sundials/COSprings/
(educational) Earth & Sky Equatorial Sundial: http://advanceassociates.com/Sundials/Earth-Sky_Dial/
(educational) My Painted Wall Sundial: http://www.advanceassociates.com/WallDial
(educational) Painted Wall Sundials: http://advanceassociates.com/WallDial/PWS_Home.html
(educational) Stained Glass Sundials: http://www.stainedglasssundials.com
(educational) Sundial Cupolas, Towers & Chimneys: http://StainedGlassSundials.com/CupolaSundial/index.html


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