21/internal/media/dispatcher/1480/fullMariner's Compass1600-1699MMM 000065.2489052158Mariner's compass composed of two parts - the compass itself inside the boxwood case and the lid. It may be a Portuguese invention but requires further research. This small compass is mounted in a turned wooden box. The card is probably hand-painted and is marked with the 32 points. The north point is decorated and the east point with a cross indicating Jerusalem. The other cardinal and semi-cardinal points are marked G, L, S, O, P and M./internal/media/dispatcher/7072/fullSolar Wheel Sherd3800 - 2500 BCEQ/P 55489078872Retrieved at Ħaġar Qim. /internal/media/dispatcher/1488/fullKriegsmarine "Trommel" Sextant1941Karl Heinrich Christian PlathMMM 004620.9488982162Black Trommel sextant dated 1941 marked with the German Nazi Eagle symbol and swastika over Runic M, [Kriegsmarine "M"] and the number "3831". Marked with the producer name "C. Plath Hamburg". Includes the D.S. stamp on the left side of the arc and the serial number 18872 on the right side./internal/media/dispatcher/1471/fullNocturnal 1574MMM 000069488985165The nocturnal is an astrolabe for telling time at night or for determining latitude by the position of the stars in relation to Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris). Time could be read at time thanks to this instrument by observing the position of the brightest star in the constellation of Urs Minor, commonly known as the North of Pole star. Polaris includes the main star (Polaris Aa) in orbit with a smaller companion (Polaris Ab). Polaris B was discovered in 1780 by William Herschel long after the nocturnal in the Malta Maritime Museum collection and its purpose became obsolete with the introduction of the marine chronometer in the 1760s. The earliest known image of a nocturnal can be traced back to a twelfth-century manuscript. Cosmographicus Liber (1530) by Peter Apianus and Martín Cortés de Albacars Arte de Navegar (1551) also feature interesting examples of nocturnals. Nocturnals were made either of brass or of wood. Examples found in wreck excavations have augmented the already known examples. Surviving noteworthy exemplars include the brass version by the Florentine Girolamo della Volpaia in the Museo Galileo (Florence) dated 1568, formerly in the Medici Collection, and an almost intact version in wood at the National Maritime Museum (Greenwich), which is probably of French manufacture and dates to 1588. The Malta Maritime Museum exemplar, was published for the first time in the exhibition catalogue of "Land of Sea" BOZAR, which took place at the Centre of Fine Arts in Brussels in 2017. It is one of a very small group of nocturnals or near-complete versions conserved in museums worldwide given that the only missing pieces are its suspension loop and sundial gnomon. The example features a series of disks, known as volvelle, mounted on and held together by a bolt and three ray nut attached to a main disk and handle. The only missing component is the suspension loop. The bolt-and-nut attachment is more common in the assembly of astrolabes, and this makes this example even the more a rare example. Nocturnals should not be confused with astrolabes used by navigators to determine local latitude at a given position at sea or land. The obverse side features four divisions of 90° each on the main disk with a slide chart or volvelle, marked in the centre with two sets of sundial hour lines, from 1 to 12, marked as Hora ante Meridiem and Hora post M(e)ridiem. This is also known as the Tabula Solis Motus or 'table of the sun's motion' and would show the mark of the sun's rays on the 12 zodiac signs at the outer edge of this volvelle. When unbolted and turned around, an engraved three sided square-like scale of as-yet-undetermined use can be seen on this volvelle. The reverse side of the instrument is the nocturnal mechanism proper. The zodiac scale is engraved on the outermost edge of the main disc with the 12 zodiac signs, complete with their symbols and Latin names in full, inserted in between a series of sub-divisions in degrees adding to 360°. The months of the Julian calendar are engraved further in, again with their Latin names inscribed in full. The date scale is divided into three ten-day sections per month. A toothed rotatable disk, the volvelle, is subdivided into two sets of anti-clockwise 12-hour markers, each tooth marking the full hour. Each hour is subdivided by four quarter-hour marks with a longer tooted pointer at 12 hours (midnight) engraved with the word "Index. An arm rotating over it, marked by the engraved words Stella Obseruanda, is interspaced with a hole representing the bright star showing off engraved rays. The circular pivot of this arm is also engraved with the words Stella Polaris and the date 1574. The correct function of this instrument is still elusive but we can presume how it worked. In order to read the time correctly, the nocturnal would be held from its handle, much like a hand-mirror, with the disks above the user's hands. The correct date was set, and the Polar Star sighted through the index arm observation hole. The correct time was set at the point when the arm crossed the marked disk./internal/media/dispatcher/1473/fullCompass with Sundial1785-1790MMM 001187489048182A finely decorated 18th century Diptych Sundial and Compass in a portable wooden boxwood, with string gnomon, possibly of German origin. Similar compasses were attributed to Johann Georg Kleininger of Nuremberg, dating back to circa 1785- 1790. This miniature diptych dial consists of two leaves that fold flat when not in use. Leaf 1 exterior contains a deteriorated inscription which unfortunately is not legible. Leaf 1 interior contains the vertical dial with hour lines radiating from a central decorative motif. This leaf is decorated with borders and hand-painted grapes. Leaf 2 interior has the dial, where the cardinal points are possibly marked in German. The dial is surrounded by hour references. Both clock and leaf are surrounded by a decorative border, with hand-painted floral and vegetal motifs, namely two sunflowers. Leaf 2 exterior is blank. The leaves have a brass hook fastner./internal/media/dispatcher/1477/fullCompass with Sundial1700-1770Leonhard Andreas KarnerMMM 001188489047183A miniature Diptych dial for 49° North. It consists of two leaves that fold flat when not in use. Leaf 1 exterior is blank except for a double-lined border. Leaf 1 interior contains the vertical dial with hour-lines radiating from a double circle. Within the circle are five trefoil motifs and a snowflake motif. The leaf has a double-lined border. Leaf 2 interior features the compass with the hours for the horizontal dial set around it. The string gnomon is broken. The compass has the cardinal points marked in Latin and is offset 20° West of North to allow for magnetic variation. At the bottom of the leaf are three trefoil motifs and a double-lined border. A brass pin for keeping the leaves aligned when closed is on the bottom right. Leaf 2 exterior is blank. The leaves have a brass hook fastener and a single brass hook for holding the dial open. /internal/media/dispatcher/1486/fullTelescope1740-1760MMM 004557489008227Mid 18th century card bodied refracting Telescope covered with parchment decorated with flowers; eye-piece missing./internal/media/dispatcher/7274/fullEquinoctial Sundialca. 1790MMM 000070489571877A fine 18th century portable equinoctial sundial, with engraved hour dial supported on a brass stand with three adjustable feet allowing it be at level when in use, indicated by the bubble device enclosed withing the compass rose. Various makers of similar sundials have been noted in the 18th century, namely Johann Norbert Holderich (1749-1806) of Augsburg, Dudley Adams (active 1788-1817) or Peter Dollond (1731-1820). Considering that the compass cardinal points are in English, the maker could possibly be British./internal/media/dispatcher/7323/fullShip's Compass in CaseSimpson Lawrence & Co. (Glasgow)MMM 000086489572878Ship's compass with cardinal points in English, enclosed within a mahogany case. The manufacture company is Simpson Lawrence & Co. of Glasgow, which was started in 1908, and became a limited company in 1937./internal/media/dispatcher/7272/fullProportional DividersMMM 000066489573879An 18th century brass proportional divider, made of two limbs, hinged together at one end and engraved with trigonometrical scales and graduated lines of sines, tangents and other geometric functions. Such instruments were used by draughtsmen, engineers and navigators. French origin./internal/media/dispatcher/7340/fullNavigator's DividerW & HCMMM 001244489574880A navigator's divider with a brass head and stainless steel legs with a maker's mark of W&HC England. It has two sharp stainless steel points that are used for measuring distances by transferring the gap between the points to or from a scale. The hinge enables the user to change the gap distance, even with one hand./internal/media/dispatcher/7361/fullHourglassMMM 004761489575881An hourglass made of two pear-shaped bulbs of Glass united at their apexes held by a circular ring of Glass, having a narrow passage between them, allowing the sand to flow through. The bulbs were normally bound together using twine or wax but at the end of the eighteenth century one single Glass vessel was blown. The bulbs are held within a wooden framework. Also known as sandglass, log Glass or watch Glass, they were normally constructed to run for a period of half an hour. For maritime purposes, half-minute, half-hour, hour and four hour sand Glasses were manufactured. At sea, an hour Glass was used by the seaman to mark his four-hour watches, where there were six watches in a day, each watch being split into eight bells. The ship's boy used to turn the hourglass and ring the bell. After eight bells, the watch was changed./internal/media/dispatcher/7366/fullHourglass with RopeMMM 004762489576882An hourglass made of two pear-shaped bulbs of Glass united at their apexes, having a narrow passage between them, allowing the pink sand to flow through. The bulbs were normally bound together using twine or wax but at the end of the eighteenth century one single Glass vessel was blown. The bulbs are held within a wooden framework, which is surrounded by rope forming into a loop on either side, serving as a hanging device. Also known as sandglass, log Glass or watch Glass, they were normally constructed to run for a period of half an hour. For maritime purposes, half-minute, half-hour, hour and four hour sand Glasses were manufactured. At sea, an hour Glass was used by the seaman to mark his four-hour watches, where there were six watches in a day, each watch being split into eight bells. The ship's boy used to turn the hourglass and ring the bell. After eight bells, the watch was changed./internal/media/dispatcher/7333/fullOctantMMM 000310489578884/internal/media/dispatcher/7342/fullCompass in brass binnacleca. 1940MMM 001247489579885/internal/media/dispatcher/7316/fullThree Draw Brass Telescope1706-1761Dolland of LondonMMM 000085489580886/internal/media/dispatcher/7327/fullThree draw Telescope1911W. Ottaway & Co of EalingMMM 000087489581887/internal/media/dispatcher/7353/fullMarine Chronometer in Original Case1871-1885William WeichertMMM 001954489582888A rare 8-Day Marine Chronometer brass- bound and mounted Coromandel in original wooden case, with two brass handles, made by William Weichert, Maker to the Admiralty, No. 2186. The latter information is illustrated on an oval ivory plaque, on the case’s exterior. The case is a three-tier structure with a blank shield-shaped cartouche inlaid to the upper lid. There are three stickers on the exterior (see Marks). On the interior, the lid is adorned with two illustrated notes, one of the manufacturer and one of the repair shop, and a sticker – two of them behind a Perspex panel, one exposed (see Inscriptions and Marks). The 12cm silvered dial in a gimballed bowl with power reserve ring with outer minute track and Roman numerals, its centre is engraved and heightened in red wax with two Exhibition medals for Paris 1867 and Harve 1868. It is signed “William Weichert Patentee of the Centre Second Chronometer The Bute Docks Cardiff”. A state of wind dial is found on the upper part, while below a seconds ring inscribed “The Order of the Golden Cross & Crown H.M Emperor of Austria”. It has a free sprung helical spring with diamond endstone to a cut and compensated bimetallic balance, set on a sub plate, with maintaining power to the chain fusee and Earnshaw spring detent escapement. William Weichert was active in London between 1865 and 1887, and Bute Docks, Cardiff between 1871 and 1885. He exhibited his chronometers in Paris in 1867, in Havre in 1868 and won a Grand Medal of Merit at the Vienna Exhibition in 1873. He was a maker to H.M Emperor of Austria, and was awarded the Golden Cross and Crown and made patentee of the centre seconds chronometer. He also trained many craftsmen (Mercer, 1988: 252). A chronometer was used to find the longitude at sea by comparing the time on an accurate clock, set to the time at the ship's home port, with that of a measurement of the local time at the ship's position. It was typical for nineteenth century chronometers to be placed in brass bound, square section mahogany cases with double-hinged top and side carrying handles (Baddeley, 1993: 45)./internal/media/dispatcher/7289/fullSextant in Original Box10 July 1945Henry Hughes & Sons Ltd.MMM 000073.5489583889Sextant in original box with accessories. The mahogany box has two hooks for closure and a key hole on the front, as well as a handle on the left-hand side. On the interior, the box is covered in green padding material. The lid has a manufacture note and instruction plaque (see Inscriptions). The sextant has a "HUSUN Trademark" mark on it, and is inclusive of accessories including key tied to a string, cloth and a small Glass bottle of whale oil. The sextant has a black powder-coated finish, whilst the traditional inlaid silver scale is marked from -5 to 150 degrees in single increments. It has a mirror adjusting tool and a screw-on eyepiece sun filter. The word 'sextant' was developed from the actual arc of the frame which occupies a sixth of a circle, and it was a development from the octant. The need to have an instrument measuring up to 120 degrees arose from the observations determination of longitude. The sextant is useful to read horizontal angles and, its all metal construction makes it more accurate than a wooden octant (Baddeley 1993: 50)./internal/media/dispatcher/7315/fullSextant with Accessories in wooden boxC no. A.CMMM 000081.5489584890Sextant with mahogany box and accessories. The mahogany box has two hooks for closure on either side, and a handle on the front. It is engraved with the letters C no. A.C. The box contains three separate lenses of varying dimensions. The sextant is mounted separately for exhibition purposes. It is engraved with the name "Philip Stratfield R.N". The sextant has a magnifier on a swiveling arm, a telescope bracket with perpendicular adjustment. The word 'sextant' was developed from the actual arc of the frame which occupies a sixth of a circle, and it was a development from the octant. The need to have an instrument measuring up to 120 degrees arose from the need of lunar observations for the determination of longitude. The sextant is useful to read horizontal angles and its all metal construction makes it more accurate than a wooden octant (Baddeley 1993: 50)./internal/media/dispatcher/13604/fullHourglassMMM 0053154890851191