Odd calendary thingummyjig

[Granmaa]

What is this? Hallmarked in London 1978, it has months on both sides and a stick to push through. On the sides it says (in Latin) "Peace to the possessor" and "health to the maker"

Why the odd order of months? Why rubies on some months? Why everything?

Miles


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[2209patrick]

Years ago the family got my mother what they called a "Mother's Ring".
Apparently the different colored stones indicated the months her children were born in. I know nothing about precious stones.

I wonder if this item is a variation of the Mother's Ring idea. Just a guess.

Pat.
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[Granmaa]

It was suggested there might be some astrological significance.
Are the snake pins symbolic of anything?
Where would one keep this?

Perhaps some sort of charm.
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[admin]

google search yield

Silver Saxon sundial - replica

Faithfully produced copy of the original unique Saxon Pocket Sundial, dated 900 A.D., which was unearthed during alterations to Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England. It has been hand-cast and hand-finished by expert craftsmen in Great Britain from over 2 1/4 oz. of solid Sterling Silver hallmarked in 1979 in London, England. The original Saxon Pocket Sundial is currently in the Horology Department of the Science Museum, Kensington, London, England. It is gilded in 24 carat gold, with 18 faceted rubies of magnificent color set by a master gemsetter in London. Cast, rectangular silver tablet, tapering slightly towards the top, surmounted by a gold cap and suspension chain. At the base is a hole in which the gold pin or gnomon is placed when not in use. Each face of the dial is divided into three columns, outlined in niello. At the top of each column is a circular hole for the gnomon, with two blue glass studs below. Each column bears the names, in abbreviated latin, of two months of the year. The letters are also inlaid with niello, some now missing. On one face are: /IAN DEC/FEB NOV/MAR OCT/, and on the reverse: /MAI AVG/IVN IVL/APR SEP/. On the sides of the tablet are two further latin inscriptions: [SA]LV-SFACTORI and [PA]X POSSESSOR, which may be translated as 'Salvation to the maker, peace to the owner'. .... A unique survival from the late Saxon period, the Canterbury sundial measures time not by the sun's movement across the sky from east to west, but f rom its altitude, using as its reference the vertical derived from gravity by its own suspension from a chain. The months are grouped in pairs according to their distance on either side of the summer solstice. An instrument constructed on the same principles is discussed in Byrhtferth's Manual. ...The method of using the dial is conveniently summarised by Ward: 'To use the dial, the gnomon is inserted in the hole corresponding to the month in question, and the dial is suspended by the chain and turned to face the sun, the position of the shadow of the tip of the gnomon being noted. Two dots will be seen in each month column; the lowest of these corresponds to the position of the tip of the shadow at noon, the upper dot corresponding roughly to an intermediate time roughly halfway between noon and sunrise or sunset'.

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[Granmaa]

Well found Tom.
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