Description
This continental silver shepherd’s pillar dial or travelling sundial is probably early 20th century. Originally pillar dials would have been made from wood or ivory and all were this cylinder (or ”chilindre”) design . Chaucer referred to them in the 14th century The Canterbury Tales when the monk invited the Good Wife of Bath to dinner. He writes, ”Goth now your way quoth he, all stille and let us dine as soon as we may, for by my chilindre it is prime of day”.
Condition: the dial is excellent condition and it is in working order. Instructions on how to read the dial are included along with the history of pillar dials. The pillar dial comes in an old box which is not the original.
Dimensions: L 4.5cms
