Miniature Instruments - Working Reproductions that make excellent presents

Miniature Sun Dial Ref: LH-KALA Dial

KALA

One of the most popular reproductions. The concentric rings fold flat to slip into a pocket but open up to give a fully-working astronomical ring you can use as a hand-held sundial. A gift that will delight and amuse anyone with an enquiring mind.
Price: £23.99 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Astrolabe Keyring Ref: LH-H80

HEMISFERIUM

The Astrolabe, considered as the mathematic jewel of the Medium Age, was to the end of 17th century the instrument most used in the whole history of the Astronomy. From a didactic point of view it is still in force, because it allows us to understand in a clear and simply way, the celestial mechanism and the apparent movement of the stars.
Historically it is admitted with enough probability that its origin could go as far as Alexandria around IV century. Its was brought to perfect by the Arabs and Persians, who introduced it in Spain and through it to West Europe at the beginning of X century.
Price: £22.00 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Miniature Astrolabe Ref: LH-H81

HEMISFERIUM

The Astrolabe, considered as the mathematic jewel of the Middle Ages, was to the end of 17th century the instrument most used in the whole history of astronomy. It is still useful today because it allows us to understand in a clear and simply way, the celestial mechanism and the apparent movement of the stars.
Its origins could go as far as Alexandria in the fourth century. Its was perfected by the Arabs and Persians, who introduced it to Spain and from there to Western Europe at the beginning of tenth century.
Price: £22.00 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Nautical Astrolabe Key Ring Ref: LH-H82

HEMISFERIM

Also known as a Mariner's Astrolabe
Price: £22.00 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Miniature Nautical Astrolabe Ref: LH-H83

HEMISFERIUM

This piece is a reproduction of the Nautical Astrolabe of Dundee. This marine astroble, made by the Portuguese, is dated between 1550 - 1555. Its owner, a Dundee skipper, Andrew Smyton, stamped it with both his name and date of ownership, 1688. The piece can now be found in the Art Gallery and Museum of Dundee.

The nautical astrolabe is a simplification of the planispherical or astronomical astrolabe and can only measure the altitiude of the stars to calculate the latitude.
Price: £22.00 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Nocturnal Key Ring Ref: LH-H84

HEMISFERIM

Price: £22.00 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Miniature Nocturnal Ref: LH-H85

HEMISFERIUM

The piece is a reproduction of an instrument dated 1570 and signed by Humphrey Cole. This instrument is found in the British Museum, London. The original piece has two faces, one of which is this nocturnal.
Price: £22.00 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Ring Dial Small Ref: LH-H86

HEMISFERIUM

ALTITUDE DIAL H86
In the middle of the 15th century, mariners found a way to estimate their latitude to find their location in the sea. It was based on a fact known since antiquity: the height of celestial bodies depends on the latitude.
Looking for greater precision in the measurement of the height of the Sun, Pedro Nunes 1573 invented an instrument that became known as the nautical ring dial, the astronomical dial or the graduated dial. The instrument consists simply of a ring with a smaller ring inside that can be held vertically. A small perforation is located at 45º from the point at which the throne or hanger sustains the instrument. The ring is held vertically so that the rays of the sun shine through the hole to land on the interior scale of the ring. The altitude of the sun is measured with that scale.

Price: £31.00 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Mini Ring Dial Hanging Ref: LH-H87

HEMISFERIUM

This is the hanging version.
Price: £30.00 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

Hanging Dial Philip II Ref: LH-H88

HEMISFERIUM

Description and method of use Experts have considered this clock as an interesting altitude dial, similar in principal to rings (astronomical rings) or the Shepherd's sundial. In itself, it is valued as an unusual clock because it sacrifices precision for simplicity, ease of use and reading.
This solar altitude dial is built for fixed latitude. The latitude of the design could be 45º (southern France).
The hours are situated over an irregular line and at variable distances from each other.
Although it functions according to the same principle as ring dials, it is not as precise.
The reference circle for the dates and hours is in the interior. On its left are the dates and on the right the hours that go from 12 to 8-4. To calculate the solar time: position the alidade (moving part)so that the extreme end (where the stylus or gnomon is) shows approximately the date. The medal is suspended so that the edge where the stylus is faces the sun. Raise the stylus (90º on the alidade), and the shadow it produces will give the solar time.
Price: £22.00 (Including VAT at 17.5%)

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