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Sundials For Sale
17th Century Armillary Sphere
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptional Italian brass armillary sphere dates to the 17th century - exceedingly rare for an armillary sphere of this size. Though other armillary spheres were often construct...
Category
17th Century Antique Sundials
Materials
Brass, Bronze
Atlas Armillary Sundial in Pewter Finish with Brass Accents
Located in Stamford, CT
The Greeks have used sundials to measure time since 100 B.C. Reminiscent of classic Greek mythology, this Atlas Armillary Sundial will demand attention, whether placed in your home o...
Category
2010s Indian Sundials
Materials
Aluminum, Brass
20th Century Concrete/Bronze Swan Sundial
Located in Dallas, TX
Beautiful sundial with bronze top. Garden ornament features swans along the bottom. Item dates back to the 1980s. Origin; France.
Category
20th Century French Sundials
Materials
Concrete, Bronze
Rare Astrolabe on Wood Base
Located in Chicago, IL
Very nice astrolabe on wood base. Great example, very rare.
Category
Early 1900s Italian Antique Sundials
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Cotswold Stone Sundial
Located in Donhead St Mary, Wiltshire
A 19th century cotswold stone sundial with earlier Cary's London bronze plate, on a hexagonal stone base
Additional information:
Material: Stone.
Category
19th Century Antique Sundials
Materials
Stone
Rare 18th Century Sundial of Large Proportions, circa 1740
Located in Donhead St Mary, Wiltshire
A rare 18th century stone sundial of large proprtions decorated with cartouche and swag ribbon detail, standing on a substantial stepped octagonal base. The pedestal retains the orig...
Category
18th Century Antique Sundials
Materials
Stone
Carved Italian Marble Sundial with Iron Gnomon
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved in Italy, this beautiful marble sundial has a turned iron gnomon that mirrors a thin twisted rope molding along the outer edges. Beneath the gnomon attachment are colored inserts that form a blue, red, yellow, and green compass rose, providing a colorful contrast to the cream marble with subtle tan and gray veining.
As the earth rotates on its axis, the gnomon casts a shadow onto the marble which is incised with Roman Numerals on a stylized scroll. Directly under the tip of the angled gnomon is “XII”, indicating noon. The numbers to the left of XII run counterclockwise, starting with “VI”. On the opposite side, the numerals continue in a counterclockwise manner, terminating in a second “VI” (which would be PM if the sundial...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Sundials
Materials
Marble, Iron
Tabletop Antique Garden Sundial
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
Dating from the early 20th century, this small tabletop antique garden sundial sees a stylistically carved York stone base below a later horizon...
Category
Late 19th Century English Victorian Antique Sundials
Materials
Stone, Bronze
19th Century English Reconstituted Stone Sundial
Located in Houston, TX
English Garden sundial on reconstituted stone. Metal sundial is loose.
Category
Mid-19th Century British Antique Sundials
Materials
Cast Stone
English Stone & Metal Armillary
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
English gardens often have an armillary. These instruments were designed by the ancient Greeks to theoretically track the planets and stars. Adding a touch of whimsy, this maintenance free garden element will enhance any outdoor space. Each side of the square pedestal showcases a female figure in bas-relief with Hellinistic inspiration. The more recent iron sphere...
Category
19th Century English Other Antique Sundials
Materials
Stone, Metal, Iron
Compton Pottery Terracotta Sundial
Located in London, GB
A fine Compton Pottery terracotta sundial with original bronze gnomon, circa 1900.
Category
Early 1900s Antique Sundials
Materials
Terracotta
Vintage Garden Armillary Sundial on Cast Corinthian Column Pedestal
Located in Elkhart, IN
A stunning vintage garden sundial on cast concrete corinthian column pedestal
Circa 1980s
Metal armillary, atop cast stone pedestal
Measures:...
Category
1980s Neoclassical Vintage Sundials
Materials
Concrete, Iron
19th Century York Stone Sundial with Bronze Plate
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A good baluster shaped Yorkstone sundial with a nicely weathered finish.
Measures: Base Diameter 95 cm
Top Diameter 43 cm
Sundial Plate Diameter 25 cm.
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Sundials
Materials
Stone
Large Armillary Sundial with Cast Iron Pedestal
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
Large Armillary Sundial with cast iron pedestal. A Victorian white painted, Cast Iron sundial pedestal. The column is cast with four eagles and leave...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Sundials
Materials
Steel, Iron
Armillary Sundial in Bronze on Limestone Pedestal
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
Cast in bronze, this armillary sundial sits upon a limestone pedestal in the neoclassical style. It is a beautiful addition to a country garden wher...
Category
Early 20th Century English Neoclassical Sundials
Materials
Stone, Limestone, Bronze
19th Century Solar Signal Cannon on Marble Sundial
Located in Charleston, SC
Incredibly cool 19th century solar powered signal canon marble sun dial base. This signal cannon can be set to ignite with the sun through the attached magnifying glass- which can be...
Category
19th Century Antique Sundials
Materials
Marble, Iron
English Late 19th Century Sundial with Carved Limestone and Bronze Top
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English sundial from the late 19th century, with carved limestone and bronze top. This English sundial features an obelisk-shaped base, raised on a pyramidal plinth, with cut-off ...
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Sundials
Materials
Sandstone, Bronze
Rare Diminutive 18th Century Sundial Plate Signed and Dated
Located in Pease pottage, West Sussex
Rare Diminutive 18th Century slate sundial plate inscribed by the maker and the commissioner or owner of the house it was for as well as dated 1784.. Wonderful feel and patination. F...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Sundials
Materials
Slate
Vintage Regency Monumental Wrought Iron Sundials, a Pair
Located in west palm beach, FL
Fantastic pair of vintage Regency sundials. Monumental in size and drama. Constructed from a wrought iron in a matte black finish. Intended for your garden, but just as gorgeous indo...
Category
Late 20th Century North American Regency Sundials
Materials
Wrought Iron
Terracotta Garden Armillary Sundial
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
Antique Terracotta Garden Armillary Sundial. This antique sundial made by Blanchard (stamped) is something to be admired with its sheer scale. The T...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Sundials
Materials
Steel
Swedish Atlas Astrology Garden Armillary & Stone Pedestal
Located in Vienna, AT
A Swedish garden armillary flared base having seated on cast hard stone balustrade pedestal, 20th century.
Category
1950s Swedish Vintage Sundials
Materials
Multi-gemstone, Brass
Antique Portland Stone Pedestal with Bronze Sundial
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
Antique Portland Stone and Bronze Sundial. English carved Portland limestone sundial of baluster shape, fitted with its original bronze sundial plate.
Category
Early 20th Century Sundials
Materials
Stone, Bronze
Antique Carved York-Stone Sundial
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
Good scale, with weathered appearance. Small bronze sundial plate with gnomon.
Top Diameter 35 cm
Base Diameter 33 cm x 33 cm.
Category
19th Century Antique Sundials
Materials
Stone
Bronze Noonday Cannon Sundial with Terracotta Pedestal
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
The sundial plate is by Louis Marie Arthur Chevalier (1830-1874).
This sundial is inscribed ‘CONSTRUIT PAR ARTHUR CHEVALIER PALAIS’. It is based on a noonday cannon commissioned by the Sun King, Louis XIV, for the gardens of Versaille. This miniature bronze cannon...
Category
Mid-19th Century Antique Sundials
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Georgian Style Armillary Sundial
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A Georgian style garden sundial. The 20th century armillary sphere mounted upon a Georgian red sandstone column plinth.
Additional dimensions:
Over...
Category
19th Century Antique Sundials
Materials
Sandstone, Steel
Swedish Atlas Armillary Sundial Mounted on Hand-Carved Antique Stone Plinth
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish armillary of Atlas mounted onto stone plinth. This vintage Swedish armillary sundial is supported on the single arm of mighty Atlas, and is...
Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Sundials
Materials
Stone, Metal, Copper
Bronze Sundial on Stoneware Baluster with Square Base
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
fleurdetroit offers for your consideration:
This eternally functioning timepiece is a beautifully weathered 20th century sundial. Sitting atop a beautiful stoneware baluster, this v...
Category
20th Century Sundials
Materials
Bronze
18th Century French Stone Sundial
Located in Vosselaar, BE
A impressive late 18th century French sandstone sundial mounted on a custom lade iron stand. The Latin numerals finely carved at both sides an...
Category
Late 18th Century French Neoclassical Antique Sundials
Materials
Sandstone
Antique Victorian English Medieval Styled Solid Bronze Architectural Sundial
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Presumably having English origins, this antique solid bronze sundial is ornately cast with a series of Medieval figures across the top portion and standing in the facade of an arched...
Category
Late 19th Century English Medieval Antique Sundials
Materials
Bronze
Swedish Armillary Sculpture
Located in Atlanta, GA
This figural armillary of Atlas, constructed of metal with a copper numeric banding, hails from Sweden. Original matte black finish and mounted on a well-proportioned custom wooden pedestal also painted in black lacquer. It is missing one strip of numbers on the inside ring but makes a beautiful over-sized sculpture for a variety of decor styles.
Please note the listing is for the sculpture only. The antique white pedestal...
Category
1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Sundials
Materials
Metal
Scottish Sundial
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
An eternally functioning timepiece, this 19th century Scottish sundial adds a bold statement to every environment. Atop a grand sandstone pillar, thi...
Category
19th Century Scottish Antique Sundials
Materials
Sandstone
20th Century English Garden Ornament Armillary Sphere in Galvanized Metal
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A vintage, simple yet stunning very large armillary sphere pierced with an arrow, mounted upon a three foot scrolled base, which can be additionally screwed into hardscape area as ho...
Category
Late 20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Sundials
Materials
Metal
Midcentury Outdoor Painted Iron Stool
Located in Sheffield, MA
The outdoor stool is sturdy and made of tubular iron soldered together and painted.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sundials
Materials
Iron
18th Century Irish Rustic Stone and Slate Sundial
Located in Woodbury, CT
This rustic sundial was hand-carved from stone and features its original and scribed slate dial plate with replaced bronze gnomon. Although the octagonal dial plate has suffered loss...
Category
18th Century Northern Irish Rustic Antique Sundials
Materials
Slate, Sandstone, Bronze
Rare English Atlas Fireclay Sundial by Compton Potteries
By Robert Compton Pottery
Located in Woodbury, CT
This is by far our most unusual sundial and one of our all-time favorites! Even though Atlas (who is holding the "world," bisected by the demilune bronze gnomon) has lost his head, t...
Category
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Sundials
Materials
Bronze
English Lead Sundial On Painted Wood Base . Circa 1840
Located in Charleston, SC
English lead sundial resting on fluted painted circular wood base. Mid 19th Century
Category
1840s British William IV Antique Sundials
Large English Sundial of Composition Stone with Bronze Dial for the Garden
Located in Austin, TX
A large English sundial of composition or garden stone - featuring a bronze sundial inscribed with a sun, numerals, cardinal directions, along with a fixed gnomon (the shadow-casting...
Category
20th Century English Sundials
Materials
Cast Stone, Stone, Bronze, Metal
Early 20th Century Carved Portland Stone Sundial
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
A well-executed and large-scale, early 20th Century carved Portland stone sundial.
With original octagonal bronze plate, attributed to J P White.
The whole is in good condition, be...
Category
Early 20th Century British Country Sundials
Materials
Stone, Bronze
Large Carved Limestone Sundial with Wrought Iron Armillary
Located in Dallas, TX
This large limestone sundial with wrought iron armillary sphere will make a grand statement in any garden. Sometimes called an “equatoria...
Category
2010s Italian Sundials
Materials
Limestone, Wrought Iron
Strikingly Large Black Iron and Tessellated Stone Armillary Sculpture
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Strikingly large Maitland Smith armillary on a black tessellated base. Made of solid iron, the armillary measures 39” tall on a 12.5” base. There are nine iron rings that rotate arou...
Category
1980s Philippine Vintage Sundials
Materials
Stone, Iron
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.
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Antique Stone Sundial
Bronze Armillary
Antique Armillary Sundial
Vintage Stone Sundial
Cast Iron Sundial
Sundial Vintage Brass
Vintage Brass Sundial
Vintage Brass Sundial Sundials
Antique Garden Armillary
Antique Armillary Sphere Sundial
Sundial Retro Brass
Vintage Brass Garden Sundial Sundials
Outdoor Sign Arrow
Antique Cast Iron Sundial
Lead Sundial
Outdoor Sundial
Bronze Garden Sun Dial
Antique Stone Pedestal With Sundial