May i introduce these two little instruments; better say, replicas, probably functional, bought in the souvenir shop French Chateau d'Ussé, back in 1992.
One is a brass ring, with a sliding mid section with a hole that allows the sun to goin in and point the hours in the opposite inner side. It has readings for the months of the year, as may be seen in the outer part. It also has an inscription, probably engraved in the original it was replicated from: . TO.H.S.THON ANNO.1721.
Amazingly, i have just had the idea to browse these initials in the web, and look what i found:
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/collectors/txt/s2288621.htm
The other is a silver articulated double arch, and it has readings (latitudes) for the cities of Paris, Florence, Hamburg and Heilderberg.
Both items were sold with an instructions book, but i don't know where they are by now.
Have you guys ever seen such things?
Fernando
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