This is a fine horological instrument as well as an attractive garden sundial. It is engraved with a full month-by-month equation of time table around the circumference, in addition to the hours of the day. The gnomon is set at latitude 54° 2", considerably north of Dublin where the dial was made.
From the center, the bands of decoration & information are: (1) a very nice eight-point compass star, (2) the eight directionals, (3) The adjustments for the equation of time (interestingly, these are designated "sun too fast, sun too slow" rather than the more usual "watch fast, watch slow"), (4) the approximate number of minutes the sun is too fast or too slow for each five days of every month, (5) a sector for each month, marked every ten days, (6) the chapter ring of the hours and the signature.
The 12 inch diameter dial plate is weathered but with every feature still very distinct, and no damage. The dial is clearly signed Made by Yeates & Son, Dublin. Samuel Yeates and Son made and signed instruments of all kinds in Dublin with this name from 1832, although Samuel himself died in 1839. The firm practiced under the same name until about WWI.
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