Butterfield Sundial
Unknown Artist
1700s
Medium
silver
Dimensions
7.7 × 7.4 cm
Classification
Silver
Department
Decorative Art and Design
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Henry W. Kent
Accession Number
1942.490
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Butterfield-type sundials are characterized by their adjustable gnomons, metal flaps that cast a shadow on the dial’s face to indicate the hour, and geographical indices. This sundial has a scale adjustable between latitudes of 40° to 60° north. The latitudes of 26 European towns are engraved on its back for quick reference. With an intricately engraved silver face, it would have functioned as a fashionable traveler’s accessory.