~ Cased Silver ~ Langlois ~ Pocket Sundial-Compass ~ Aux Galleries Louvre - 1st Quarter - 18th Century Start Price USD 3,000.00 Current Price USD 3,000.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Friday, November 28, 2008 End Time Friday, December 05, 2008 Location Monroe, Louisiana See more about '~ Cased Silver ~ Langlois ~ Pocket Sundial-Compass ~' Description ~ Cased Langlois Silver Sundial - Compass ~ Aux Galleries Louvre - 1st Quarter - 18th Century~ Circa 1716 - 1719 ~ Butterfield Type - Octagonal - 8 - sided, Horizontal - Semi Universal Sundial with folding bird gnomon - Made By scientific instrument Maker ~ Claude Langlois ~Solid Silver - with the exception of the Crystal, needle, brass "crown" pivot, and the caseHallmarked on reverse -Maker Marked:Langlois Paris Aux Galleries Louvre Aux Galleries Louvre: Translated as - galleries of the LouvreEngraved - At Center of compass box Base {reverse}: Premier Cadran: Translated as: Prime {or} First Dial - Four Hour Rings - 2 of the rings are in Numeric hours & the other 2 are in Roman numeral hours -For latitudes ~ 43° ~ 46° ~ 49° & 52° Outermost Hour Ring ~ 52° - Labeled in Numeric Hours - left to right: 4 - 12 - 8 {am - noon - pm} in 15 minute incrementsInnermost Hour Ring ~ 43° - Labeled in Roman Numerals V - VII {am - pm} in 15 minute incrementsBottom // Reverse - lists {engraved} 25 European Cities - Cities are Grouped by latitude and numbered - 2 - 3 or 4 Group 1 {on compass box bottom} not numbered - These groupings refer to cities of similar latitude - and correspond to which of the Hour Rings to be used for time of day - -For example - if your city falls within group 1- or around 52° North latitude - - you would use the outermost Hour ring - OR -  if your City was Between 41° and 43° North Latitudeyou would use the innermost Hour Ring. Silver Hallmark: 1/16" Length X  3/64" WidthTo be perfectly honest, I do not know what it depicts & have no clue of proper orientation or what side is "up".......I have owned this sundial for over 20 years and several times a year I look at the Hallmark in an attempt to discover its meaning {and date} and in every attempt I have failed. My in-house hallmark resources are vast - but by no means complete.I have come to the conclusion that the hallmark is - either the - makers mark - of Claude Langlois - OR - the hallmark of - Aux Galleries LouvreSundial Dimensions:Overall Length ~ 2-17/32" {2.5505"} ~ 64.78mmOverall Width ~ 2-9/32" {2.2785"} ~ 57.88mmSilver Base - Thickness ~ 2/64" {0.0265"} ~ 0.67mmSilver Gnomon - Folding  ~ Latitude Adjustable ~ -  For;40° - 45° - 50° - 55° - 60°  - - divided into 1° incrementsGnomon Height - @ - Lowest Position {or 40° North Latitude} - Height measured from hour ring base ~ 13/16" {0.8045"} ~ 20.44mmSilver Compass Box {reverse side} - - Diameter ~ 1-13/64" {1.2010"} 30.51mm1-1/8" Iron blued needle - circle forged into the North end, like ----O--  Silver Compass Dial:Fleur-de-lis at North 16 Point Compass Dial Compass Dial Offset - 12.75°  West to compensate for Magnetic Variation / Declination -This offset is consistent for Paris - for the period, Circa 1716 - 1719Fitted Case:8 sided - hinged Octagon case - 2-7/8" X 2-5/8" X 5/8" {Length X Width X Thick}Inside lined with green velvet -Outer case material is that of shark or ray fish and dyed black..... Then, pasted onto wood core -commonly used in the 18th to early 19th century Button latch mechanism - secured by 4 brass pins top half and 2 brass pins bottom half -Single 5 - barrel hinge secured to the top half and bottom half of case by 12 brass pins - ~ A short Langlois & Aux Galleries Louvre History ~Claude Langlois:18th century maker of sundials, surveying, astronomical, drawing instruments and distinguished by a high degree of accuracy and the precision of execution along with lavish ornamentation.Many published and online sources list Claude Langlois working dates - as; c.1730 -50, ~ c.1730 -56, ~ c. 1720 -58, ~ c.1703 -56  - and - c.1730 -80.And one source mentions his death prior to 1760 -One Genealogy source mentions - 1678 - Claude Langlois - goldsmith - / marries / René Mauritius -and family connections to the Aux Galleries Louvre and Jean Langlois, possibly a brother or cousin of Claude Langlois -Aux Galleries Louvre:The Louvre has a long and fascinating 818 years of History - Firstas a fortress & later as a Royal Palace -Each of the successive Royal Families added structures and collections and today the Louvre is a world class museum -Aux Galleries Louvre, refers to the Grande Galerie wing of the Louvre  - 1,509 feet long {over a 1/4 mile} and 100 feet wide -that sits on the right bank of the Seine river, to this day -Grande Galerie, at one time, connected {completed 1610} the Louvre or Palais du Louvre of Henry IV - {c.1595} to the Palais des Tuileries {c.1564} of Catherine de'Medici -In 1682, King Louis XIV left the Louvre and made Versailles his full-time residence.France had become the "Scientific Center" of Europe. King Louis XIV permitted different "academies" into the Louvre: -   Academies of architecture, science and politics, and the academy of painting and sculpture and invited the greatest artists, craftsmen and intellectuals of the day to live and work under its very roof on the Grande Galerie's ground floors.The monarchy was attempting to show itself to the world, and especially Europe, as the master of and prime mover behind every creative, intellectual and scientific discipline of the period.Claude Langlois was one of the craftsmen who took up residence {1st quarter 18th century} at the Louvre, hence, Aux Galleries Louvre -In 1789, the French Revolution gave the Royal Louvre Collection to the People of France -10 August 1793, opened to the public as, The Louvre (French: Musée du Louvre}Today the Louvre is the most visited and one of the oldest, largest, and most famous art galleries and museums in the world.Butterfield & Langlois Connection ?Butterfield Type horizontal - semi - universal sundial - after Michael Butterfield's {1635 - 1724} style, and innovations - most notably the use of the bird gnomon -Claude Langlois instruments and in particular, his style, are very similar to Butterfield - this may suggest copy - but this may also suggest a working relationship -Instruments made by Jean Langlois, circa 1720 - 1727 have been reported as marked - élève du Sieur Butterfield - Translation: Student of the Sir Butterfield -Overall Condition :Please Review Pictures & DescriptionSundial is in excellent condition - noting that the silver has numerous very fine "hair line" scratches -  & very minor nicks,rubs or bumps - Very Tiny specks of Black paint missing within Roman numerals  - on the 43° hour scale within the I {1pm} mark andwithin the VIII {8pm} on the 49° hour scale -Magnetic needle points strong North -Gnomon adjusting slide {for latitude} in excellent condition and slides smoothlyCrystal may be a replacement - but none-the-less old glass - bubbles and ripples, common to old glass - presentCase is in excellent condition - case will close and latch - ~ But ~ top half and bottom half front edge does not come together, probably due to warped wood in the case core -Note: ~ This sundial is solid silver and * Will * tarnish Bluish - Black, within a One {1} Years time period if displayed in an open drafty area ~ And - ~ Will Tarnish if left in its case closed - over a  longer period  ~I highly recommend removing the sundial from the case and displaying it in a air tight, or draft free glass enclosure or cabinet - Protect Your Investment - - I did ========================================================For Additional Information About Payment, Shipping and Returns ---Please Read the Info I have Posted On My;Ebay My World...Or click on the - me –•    I Use The Ebay Shipping Calculator For Your Shipping Cost.I Would Like to Give Everybody Free Shipping & Handling - But Frankly, I Cannot Afford To Do So.•    Your Item Is Wrapped, Boxed, Measured & Weighed For The Most Accurate & Current Shipping Cost{s}.•    I Also Charge and Add a Small & Modest Handling Fee to Help Offset My Cost of Packaging and Shipping Items.Handling Charges Include - Packaging / Shipping Costs - For Materials Such As Boxes, Packaging Materials, Peanuts, Bubble Wrap & Miscellaneous Office Supplies; Time & Gas to Deliver to the Shipper and Miscellaneous Expenses as Applicable.•    I Use & Trust The United States Postal Service - - USPSCheck out my other items!Be sure to add me to your favorites list!Questions ...Comments?Additional Pictures Upon Request  Place a Bid!