Early XVIII Octagonal Silver Antique Pocket Sundial by in Paris

Beautiful French silver sundial from XVIII century by Michael Butterfield.

Michael Butterfield (1635–1724) was a British clockmaker who moved to Paris about 1663. He worked at the royal court was appointed engineer to the King Louis XIV.
He opened a shop selling precision instruments in 1677 in rue Neuve-des-Fossés, in Saint-Germain. He sold all types of sundial, but dominated the market for the small travelling dial with the adjustable gnomonwith bird motif and three chapter rings. This type of dial became fashionable and called the Butterfield dial.
Among his international clients was the Russian Czar Peter the Great who visited his shop in 1717 and ordered a great quantity of gilt copper dials.


Sundial is made of silver and is beautifully engraved - with time scale on front side, latitudes of main French / European cities on the backside.
Quality piece.

The time scales are engraved for latitudes 40, 45, 50 and 55 degrees.
Compass is probably working, arrow is later.
Sundial measures 65 x 58 mm approximately.

Nice and rare item - don't miss it.