17th Century French Silver Pocket Sundial by Louis Chapotot

A Rare and lovely French Silver Pocket Sundial by Louis Chapotot dating to 1684.

The Sundial is presented in its original case sheathed in black chagin, and is in perfect functioning state.

It showcases finely engraved floral motives on the reverse where twenty main European cities’ latitudes are recorded.
Paris is recorded as well as most of France’s most important cities at the time, but also, Vienna, Madrid, Rome, Naples, Turin and London.
The front octagonal plate is engraved with hour scales in Roman and Arabic numerals and shows and features a compass engraved with cardinal points with an adjustable and folding bird’s eye ‘gnomon’.

A french maker of optical and mathematical instruments, Louis Chapotot is first recorded in 1670 as an apprentice to Guillaume Ménard.
He was then appointed Master in the ‘Corporation des Fondeurs’ and in 1676 took his son Jean into partnership.
In the 1680s he published several tracts describing his instruments in scientific journals.
Chapotot worked at the Quai de l’Horloge in Paris under the sign “a La Sphere, Paris” according to his trade card.
He provided instruments to the Royal Academy of Sciences and to clients abroad such as Peter the Great and the court of the Qing Emperor in China.

The Hallmark located on the same side as the cities features a ‘Fleur de Lys’ which was the Mark used for smaller objects in Paris between 1684 and 1687.

A beautiful collector’s piece.

France 17th Century c.H: 3.07"W: 2.36"D: 0.27"Reference number: CC-279