Description
A sundial armillary sphere is made for outdoor use to tell time by the shadow made from passage of the sun during the day. It is akin to a simple form Ptolemaic armillary sphere, but with central arrow rather than earth sphere. The form of many modern garden armillaries (with Art Deco influence) originated in Sweden in the 1950s. Swedish armillaries were generally manufactured by two companies using a variety of different figural stands. The most common stand is a mythological figure of Atlas (or Hercules) in loin cloth, supporting the globe with upraised hands. Less common is a seahorse figure supporting the sphere on its head. An even rarer support is of a frog standing upright on a lily pad. Many of these models were manufactured by Sune Rooth. Another stand, of tapering round form, has 18 panels (9 per side) with embossed decoration, each panel featuring a sign of the zodiac or astronomical figures such as a comet, stars, and half moon. This zodiac stand was manufactured by AB Aronsson & Soner. Other examples of Swedish armillaries have simple rather than figural bases. Numerous copies of these armillaries have since been produced by non-Swedish makers.
The rings of Swedish figural armillaries are generally made of mixed metals with verdigris finish. The ecliptic band is generally made of aluminum, copper, brass, or a tin/iron alloy, with embossed raised numerals, or sometimes more simply black numerals enameled on a white ground. The arrow is generally iron, with aluminum arrow and tail, also with verdigris finish.
Sundial armillaries were generally intended for garden use and often designed so that the base can be bolted into a larger heavy support, such as a columnar garden pedestal. Exterior examples are now often used in interiors attached to a decorative wooden or marble base. Examples are found with various levels of wear and oxidation, from light fading of verdigris finish, to heavy rusting.
Condition: Very good with wear and handling commensurate with a garden armillary that has been naturally weathered with outdoor use, including some light bending and considerable oxidation and loss of verdigris finish. Meridian ring slightly loose in stand, as almost always encountered.
