Renaissance, Nuremberg, signed Paulus Reinmann and dated 1606. Paulus Reinmann, Nuremberg 1557–1609.

Ivory with red and black engraving. Baseplate with a compass with engraved declination and cardinal points. Circumferential hour scale of 4-12-8. Below, a concave scale with the numerical sequence 8-23-16. The inside of the cover is engraved with various cities and their latitudes, above, a scale with the signs of the zodiac. String gnomon missing. Perforation. The back of the baseplate (bottom) features a moon clock with a gilt brass moon disc surrounded by day- and hour scales, 4 brass feet. Engraved inscription "Epacta Gregorii Anno 1603". On the cover (outside), the compass rose with 16 cardinal points and scale from 1-32, hands designed as a human hand and a peephole for observing the compass.

Closed 10 x 6.5 cm.

Compass needle and glass cover missing. Fine cracks, hinge wire incomplete.

The observation of the sun's course is the most original manner of determining time. For the longest time, mechanical pocket watches were expensive and prone to failure. Therefore, foldable and portable sundials remained everyday timekeepers until around 1800. Furthermore, they were also indispensable for setting clocks.

The Reinmann family was one of Nuremberg's most famous compass-making families. Nine family members were compass makers. Many sundials are still known from the compass maker Paul Reinmann. These are on exhibit in the international museums of Oxford, London and Chicago, and one of them is also on exhibit in the Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg. (Frank Liebau: Die Kompassmacher aus Nürnberg und Fürth, 2017. Online edition).