Pre-Veteran's Day Americana Auction
Lot 50:
Description
This is a very rare 1826 Sun Dial made for Nathanial Neilson of Springfield Estates in Scotland by Robert Palmer in 1826. The sundial has a table of time equations and identifies “at noon places on the ring”. It is practically an analog computer. Research indicates Nathaniel Nielson returned to Scotland by 1810 after working commerce in North America with sufficient wealth to acquire a small estate at Springfield near Castle Douglas for £3,000 (calculated worth at around £2.5 million today). There is perhaps a more sinister implication in Nathaniel’s friendship with the family of Sir William Douglas, the founder of the town of Castle Douglas. William Douglas made his fortune in the ‘American Trade’ – a term often used as an euphemism for involvement in slaving. Dimensions: 14.75" Octagon
Condition: In very good condition with a small chip on the West end of the dial. All notations are easily read.
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