Sundials
1960s Classical Roman Vintage Sundials
Brass
1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Sundials
Metal
2010s Indian Sundials
Aluminum, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Sundials
Stone, Limestone, Metal, Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Sundials
Marble, Iron
Late 19th Century English Antique Sundials
Sandstone, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Sundials
Limestone, Metal, Iron
Mid-19th Century British Antique Sundials
Cast Stone
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sundials
Iron
Mid-20th Century Swedish Sundials
Stone, Metal, Copper
Late 19th Century English Neoclassical Antique Sundials
Steel
Late 19th Century Antique Sundials
Steel, Iron
1940s European Art Deco Vintage Sundials
Copper, Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century Victorian Sundials
Metal
1960s American Vintage Sundials
1960s Vintage Sundials
1960s Swiss Vintage Sundials
Aluminum
Antique and Vintage Sundials
Although typically decorative, antique and vintage sundials transport a guest in your home to a different era, their simple function a tether to the ancient world.
Humans have tracked time since the dawn of civilization. Before the invention of precise mechanical clocks, various materials including water and incense were used to mark the passage of time. The sundial was one of the earliest of these timekeeping devices.
The oldest known sundial dates back to 1,500 B.C. in Egypt. The very first sundials were simple stone blocks with markings and a vertical needle of wood or metal to indicate the hours with its shadow. Later Greek sundials had a gnomon parallel to the axis of the Earth. Some flat sundials from the Islamic world were directional objects for pointing the way to Mecca.
Mechanical clocks use a series of gears and springs to track time precisely; sundials rely on light and shadow. As sunlight crosses over a sundial, it casts a shadow that moves across the face of the dial as the Earth rotates.
There are now more accurate, easier and probably cooler ways to tell time, yet the sundial persists. It is not uncommon to find flat stone sundials among an assemblage of decorative elements in colorful gardens and standing sundials in expertly appointed outdoor spaces.
While garden sundials are among the most popular sundials today, sundials made of metal, stone, bronze and more can be found on 1stDibs to match any taste or setting. The collection also includes sundials of Scandinavian, British and North American origins.