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Sold for: £22
A weathered cast metal armillary sphere garden sundial, possibly constructed from iron or a heavy bronze alloy. The instrument features a central gnomon in the form of an arrow passing through a meridian ring and a graduated equatorial band. The equatorial band is decorated with raised Roman numerals and scrollwork representing the hours. The unit is supported by a flared, circular mounting base containing three pre-drilled holes for securing the piece to a pedestal. The metalwork displays a heavy verdigris and dark brown patina consistent with prolonged outdoor exposure, with remnants of blue pigment visible on the base. Cast-in relief characters are present along the rings; however, due to significant surface oxidation and pitting, the text is not clearly legible as a specific maker or motto.
Condition report:
The sundial shows significant surface oxidation, pitting, and heavy verdigris across all metal components (photo 4). The arrow gnomon is slightly bent towards the rear fletching end (photo 1). The tip of the arrow shows signs of impact wear and blunting (photo 2). There are remnants of blue paint or oxidation on the base and the underside of the rings (photo 4). General environmental wear is present throughout, consistent with age and garden use.
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