Butterfield
type sundial
J. Menard, Paris, France, ca 1680
NA 25
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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.
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For more information, e-mail collections@mariner.org.
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