BSS Auction 2001 - Lamont Dials

 
 
 
     
 

Lot No

Description

B1

Universal Equatorial Dial No 1.
  Varnished wood frame, with plastic card scales showing LAT and LAT + 1hour in 10 min. intervals. Hand written scale, dia 10in., instrument height 18in. Nodus position is adjustable to allow its shadow to be placed on the scale centre line. A secondary plane scale gives, Date, Dec. of Sun and EQT readings. There is no equatorial base included, but the instrument obviously requires one and is designed to be rotated on a polar pin to allow Longitude and EQT to be applied to give clock time. A third scale +/-60 min. is provided on the rim to allow the whole instrument to be rotated to set the adjustment. The base carries some instructions .

B2

Altitude Instrument
  Oak base with pivot pin and softwood painted uprights . Altitude scale is folded, it runs 0 to 45 deg. on the vertical element and 45 to 90 deg. on the horizontal. Thin Nodus. Scale is hand-written on film in 1 degree intervals. Base 14in. Upright 11in.high
  Declination Instrument
  All solid oak construction, base with pivot pin, it is (obviously!) to be mounted on an equatorial plane which is not included. Declination scale runs +/- 23.5 deg. from the centre. Thin Nodus. Scale is hand-written on film in 1 degree intervals and annotated with solstice names. An aperture in the base with a thin pointer could indicate LHA on a suitable scale on the fixed equatorial base beneath. Base 14in. Upright 14in.high

B3

Large Universal Equatorial Dial
  This Universal Equatorial has been constructed by inverting a large glass jar of 6.75 in Dia.and 12in. high. The jar is fixed to a wood base of 12in. dia which must be mounted on an equatorial plane (not included). The gnomon is a vertical rod mounted on the long axis of the jar. The scale is hand written on white card and fixed to the inside of the jar. The time lines are marked in LAT and LAT +1 hour. Declination lines are marked in 2 Deg. intervals, indicated by the shadow of the tip of the gnomon. They intersect vertical EQT scales on each side of the main scale. The wood base has a pivot hole and a scale +/- 60 ins on the rim enables the instrument to be rotated to apply the days correction so that clock time is read from the dial. Motto, signed and dated 1989.

B4

Horizontal Dial.
  On 3/4 in. plywood, 12in. Dia, for Lat. 52:16 N, with motto "Service above Self for all Times" and image of a gear wheel centred on gnomon root. (Rotary Club?). Dial numerals in Roman (LAT) and Arabic (LAT+1). Range 4 am to 8 pm. Signed and dated 1991

B5

Pillar Dial.
  Cardboard cylinder, 3in. Dia. 6 in high. Hand written scale , plastic coated, with example reading.
  Small Universal Equatorial Dial
  A modest device in a jam jar. To be mounted on an equatorial plane. Jar is 3in. In Dia. And 4.5 in. high. Gnomon stuck to lid , equatorial scale on paper within.

B6

Robust Universal Equatorial Dial
  12 in. Dia. hemi-cylindrical dial face is white card with neat black hand-written delineation covered by plastic film. The frame is a very robust arrangement of softwood and heavy chipboard, varnished and painted. The shadow of the tip of an obelisk gnomon engages with the following furniture, time lines at 10 Min. intervals giving LAT and LAT +1 hr., Declination lines at 2 Deg intervals, Solstice lines. The selected declination line indicates Date and EQT on a pair of side scales in the Lamont style. The base is equipped with a rim scale +/- 60 mins to allow rotation on a central pivot for Clock time. This dial requires a suitable equatorial base. Motto, signed and dated 1989

B7

Mediaeval Scratch Dial
  In Chipboard and hard board, vertical dial plate , 7.5 in. horizontal gnomon, dial face 8.5x12.5 in. equal hour divisions, 6am to 6pm drawn indelibly on film on white background. Subsidiary scales indicating the shift of "hours" at the solstices. Signed and dated 1992.

B8

True South Vertical Dial
  On white coated chipboard to be wall hung, 15x11.5 in. black ply wood gnomon. For Lat. 52.3 N. Main dial delineation and numerals distinct but EQT correction table values are less clear. Marked in black and then plastic coated. Signed and dated 1989
  True South Vertical Dial
  A free standing model with base, marked on white hardboard coated with film, dial face 15x11.5 in., thick chipboard gnomon. For Lat. 52.3 N. Roman Numerals. Marked in 10 Min. intervals with curious limits from 5 AM to 7 PM. Signed and dated 1989

B9

Universal Heliochronometer
  Varnished plywood & softwood equatorial base for Lat. 52.3 N, 12in. Dia. with cylindrical hand written scale screwed to rim, 3AM to 9PM, in 10 Min. intervals. The rotatable element is in mahogany. The screen carries a full printed, plastic coated analemma 12 in. high, annotated with month names and weekly dates, the sun's declination scale is calibrated in 1 deg. intervals. The sight carries a single pin hole and a motto badge. Will indicate AST, Clock time, BST, Date, Declination of the sun. Signed and dated 1960.

B10

West Declining Proclining Dial
  Plywood construction 16 x 7x 13 in. high. White card dial face marked in LAT (Roman) and LAT+ 1 (Arabic) , painted gnomon. Motto, signed and dated 1996. Declines 30 Deg. W and proclines 20 Deg. forward. The was the model in which Peter verified a bigger dial to be fixed to the front of his house. See photos Bull 97.4 page 5 . Dial is marked with various angles relating to the delineation geometry.
  West Declining Proclining Dial
  An early prototype, hardboard and card construction, 12 x 5x 9 in. high, graph paper dial face marked in LAT (Roman) and LAT+ 1 (Arabic). Declines 28 Deg. W and proclines 5.6 Deg. forward.

B11

Vertical Declining Noon Mark
  Wood and plywood construction to be wall hung, dial face 7in.x 22in., delineated for 29 deg. West, Fully annotated annalemma 18in. high. Azimuth scale 170 to 190 deg. Declination scale on Local Noon line (1 Deg. Int.). Dial face is hand drawn on graph paper glued to hardboard. Numerous Summer test lines plotted in pencil and dated by the Designer. Sunburst gnomon with pinhole on horizontal plywood arm with aperture for plumb bob. Includes EQT and local correction tables on separate cards. Possibly made in 1994.

B12

Vertical Declining Dial
  On varnished chipboard with holes for wall mounting, 14in. x 12in. . Delineated in 10 min. intervals from 6am to 7 p.m. Black varnished lettering. Motto "Mox Nox". Gnomon mounted in the meridian plane. Declines about 10 deg W. for Lat 52:20 N

B13

Diptych or Tablet Dial
  A pair of dials on white coated chipboard in a fixed "L" arrangement, each leaf 12in. X14in., sharing the same gnomon for Lat. 52:20 N. Horizontal Dial range 4am to 8 p.m.. Direct Vertical Dial curiously delineated from 5am to 7pm LAT in Roman and in Arabic for LAT+1. Dial furniture is addressed by the shadow of a ball nodus as follows:- Declination lines, Solstice lines, Date scale, Altitude lines, Azimuth lines, Sunset. The lines cross both planes in the space between the dial faces, with the Equinoctial line on the interface. Signed and Dated 1997

B14

Portable Capuchin Dial.
  Nicely drawn on card 13 x 20 in. for Latitude 52:30 N. Signed. Complete with plumb line and example of use.

B15

Universal Equatorial Dial No. 2
  Signed and dated. Motto "Tempus Fugit" 1991.Varnished plywood frame, with varnished card scales showing LAT and LAT + 1hour in 10 min. intervals. Hand written scale, dia. is 12in., instrument height 21in. The 14in. polar edges of the scale itself provide a pair of gnomons to indicate morning and afternoon time. Nodus position is adjustable to allow its shadow to be placed on the scale centre line. A secondary scale gives, Date, Dec. of Sun and "Seasonal Correction" which are the algebraic sum of EQT and 2 deg .W. Longitude. There is no equatorial base included, but the instrument obviously requires one and is designed to be rotated on a pin to allow today's "Seasonal Correction" to be applied to give clock time. A third scale of +/-60 min. is provided on the rim of the base to allow the whole instrument to be rotated appropriately.

B16

Part of a Universal Heliochronometer
  The fixed equatorial base is missing. This rotatable element is very well finished in mahogany. The screen carries a full printed plastic coated analemma 12 in. high, annotated with month names and weekly dates, the sun's declination scale is calibrated in 1 deg. intervals. The sight carries a single pin hole with cross hairs and a motto badge. If correctly mounted on a 12in. dia. base, it would indicate AST, Clock time, BST, Date, Declination of the sun.

B17

Horizontal Open Book Obelisk Dial
  This unusual dial was evolved in three stages which resulted in three dials. ( Described in more detail in BSS Bull 96.1 Page 9 and illustrated in Photos 1, 2, 3.)Dial 1. A horizontal surface 20 x24 in. with sides 3 in. high. Graph paper dial face is covered with film on horizontal and vertical surfaces. 3 in. Obilisk gnomon. The delineation and furniture are as follows. In black, Local Apparent Time from 4am to 8pm, Declination in 4 deg intervals, Solstice lines. In red, Altitude of sun in 5 deg. int., Azimuth in 10 deg int. Declination lines identify date and EQT correction on upper limbs. The lines extend across the horizontal plane and up the vertical edges. Instructions, Motto, signed and dated 1989.
  Dial 2 dated 1990. This is a well engineered card overlay dial face which fits into the same structure and uses the same gnomon. In this development the dial face is a pair of inclined planes on which all the previous furniture and delineation is replotted to the same precision. This improves the readability of all the parameters especially time, as the designer noted. Its appearance caused him to think of it as an "Open Book".
  Dial 3 In order to reduce the overall size in a NS direction, an additional inclined card sub face was added at the North end. Where necessary, all the time and furniture lines were recalculated for this inclined surface. The appearance began to suggest a conical dial face.

B18

Vertical Open Book Direct South Dial
  This attractive dial can stand on its base on a horizontal surface, It was designed for Lat 52.3, in varnished plywood, 24x14x8 in. The dial faces are a pair of planes declined 15 deg. E and W., the surface is mm graph paper covered in film. It is delineated in 10 min. intervals and shows both LAT, (Roman, black) and LAT + 1 hr. (Arabic, red). Gnomon with twin nodii indicate the following lines:- Declination lines at 4 deg. intervals in green which intersect with Date and EQT correction tables on the side panels, Solstice & Sunrise lines, Altitude and Azimuth lines in 10 deg. intervals in red. Signed and dated 1990. With motto "Libra Aperta Omnia Revelat" see photo 4 BSS Bull 96.1

B19

Flying Bird Experimental Dial
  This dial is constructed of card which has been part cut and glued. See photo 6, BSS Bull 96.1, with the designer's description on page 9. It was the final experiment in the open book style where the shadows of a conventional horizontal dial gnomon and nodus are cast onto two surfaces which are part of an open book elevated by 20 deg. to the north. Time lines, 4am to 8pm LAT have been marked. However the designer admits that plotting and calculation were both difficult and tedious, so only the eastern wing of this elegant flying bird has been equipped with the following heavy furniture lines, Altitude, Azimuth and Declination. Such imbalance may have led to the accident in which the gnomon beak was damaged.

B20

Open Book Single Polar Dial No 1
  Two dial faces 120 deg apart, one AM, one PM, are each delineated in a polar manner to receive shadows from the edges of a single polar gnomon whose style edges are vertically above the scale mid point. The dial requires an equatorial plane (not included). Plywood and solid oak construction, 18 x15 x 9 in. Delineation on white card, then plastic coated. Sadly many of the black numerals & scales have suffered from damp and are now blurred. The leaves carry declination lines in green at 4 Deg. intervals which abut the Date and EQT scales in the Lamont style so an EQT plus Long. correction may be read from the side scales. The nodus is well defined. Altitude and Azimuth lines in red at 10 deg intervals. Times are marked LAT, LAT+1. Motto, signed and dated 1994. see Bull 96.1, page 11, photo 5

B21

Open Book Single Polar Dial No 2
  Two dial faces 90 deg apart, one AM, one PM, are each delineated in a polar manner symmetrically about their centres to receive shadows from the edges of a single polar gnomon. To function, the dial must be fixed to an equatorial plane not included. Plywood and hardboard construction, 18 x15 x 9 in. Delineation on white card, then plastic coated. The leaves carry declination lines which abut the Date and EQT scales in Lamont style so an EQT plus Long. correction may be read from the side scales. The nodus is experimental. Times are marked LAT, LAT+1, LAT+ 2

B22

Open Book Multiple Polar Dial
  This interesting dial is a circular arrangement of 6 identical polar dials, where the edge of the next dial face is the gnomon for the previous dial. Each dial face carries 4 hours marked as LAT and LAT +1 hr. Together the six dial faces cover from 2am to 10 p.m.. Choice of dimensions and polar rotation of the earth ensure that the next successive dial face becomes active at the required moment when the previous dial face goes into shade. There is a nodus on each of the leaves. The opposing leaves are all identical and they carry declination lines at 2 deg Intervals which abut Date and EQT scales in Lamont style. An axial pivot and rim scale (+/- 60 mins) allows rotation of the whole instrument to give clock time. This dial requires a suitable equatorial base. Mottoes, signed and dated 1989. Constructed out of plywood, varnished, 9in. x 12in. Dia. See Bull. 96.3 p 51.

B23

Horizontal Conical Dial No. 1
  Varnished plywood construction, cone dial face made of flexible Formica white sheet. The cone is truncated, of max. dia 14in.,angle 45 deg. The dial delineation uses both the inner cone surface and the horizontal base. It is similar to photo 7 in BSS Bull 96.1 p.11. This dial has a conventional polar gnomon with nodus. The time range is 4am to 8pm LAT in Roman and LAT+1 in Arabic numerals. The furniture is as follows Altitude (5 Deg. Int.) and Azimuth lines (10 Deg. Int.), Solstice and Zodiacal lines. Signed and dated 1996.

Motto reads:
"Nature and all its Laws were hid from Sight,
God said "Let Newton be" and all was Light"

B24

Horizontal Conical Dial No. 2
  Varnished plywood construction, cone dial face made of flexible Formica white sheet. The cone is not truncated, of max. dia 14in.,angle 60 deg. Designed for Lat. 52.3 N. The dial delineation lies wholly on the conic surface. It is similar to photo 8 in BSS Bull 96.1 p.11. This dial has a conventional polar gnomon with nodus. The time range is 4am to 8pm LAT in Roman and LAT+1 in Arabic numerals. The furniture is as follows:- Altitude (5 Deg. Int.) and Azimuth lines (10 Deg. Int.), Solstice and Declination lines. The declination lines intercept a Date and EQT correction Table. Motto. Signed and dated 1996.

B25

Analemmatic Equiangular Dial
  In varnished plywood, with 12in. Dia. white Formica sheet dial plate set on equatorial base. Designed for Lat. 52.3 N. Scale shows sun time and summer time in black Roman and red Arabic numerals respectively. Dial plate has legend giving design information. Very thin vertical gnomon is moved according to a central date scale which also marks the solstices. Signed with motto "Fial Lux" dated 1996.

 
     
 
 
  General Notes on the Peter Lamont Dials.

Peter's dials were constructed for use outside on sunny days; they must not get wet or be left out in all weathers. They could be described as transportable dials to be read at close quarters in a garden. They are all well constructed from a mixture of woods, whatever was most appropriate, softwood, hardwood, plywood, hardboard, Contiwood. They are the work of a practical engineer with a dialling challenge not a cabinetmaker, all are well finished with varnish and paint. The dial faces are generally of a material suitable for hand written delineation in indelible pens of all colours. Often graph paper is used to provide a grid to be covered by film when finished. Many of the dials carry hand-written panels of instruction; some have more minor furniture details than are described in the catalogue. Peter's favourite motto "May the Sun ever Shine on our Lives" appears on several dials. Dials generally show LAT in black Roman and LAT +1 in red Arabic, the latter is to enable the "seasonal correction" to be applied with ease when BST operates. The seasonal correction for clock time, basically EQT, sometimes includes effect of Longitude for 2 Deg. W. Most dials have a nodus and have Date/ Correction tables on the dial plate which are intersected by the declination line plot. Many dials also carry lines of Altitude and Azimuth plotted in different colours to assist reading. Dials that are to be mounted on an equatorial plane are generally fitted with an axial pivot and a small scale to allow the clock time adjustment to offset the normal local noon scale setting.

These dials are the result of considerable effort and imagination and so it may be hoped that this final gathering of his work will be a happy memorial to Peter, providing both an opportunity to admire and an inspiration to construct interesting sundials.

Graham Aldred - March 2001