Introduction

Determine the time at night using an exact replica of Nocturnal and Tide computer signed by Humphrey Cole and made around 1570-1580.

With our replica you will move back to Elizabethan England and the workshop of one of the famous English instrument makers. Twenty-six of his instruments have survived, six of which are now in the British Museum. One of these instruments (device number 12 of Cole’s known pieces and signed by him in c1570) - a combined nocturnal and tide predictor – became the inspiration for a modern replica you can buy here.

General information

• diameter: 10 cm,
• made of solid brass
• hardwood display stand included
• instrument is fully functional
• information booklet included
• packed in elegant box

Additional information

The piece is a replica of a Nocturnal and Tide Computer by Humphrey Cole. The original can be found in the British Museum, London.

One of its faces is a Nocturnal and the other is a Tide Computer. The Nocturnal or star clock is an artifact that is used to obtain the time at night using the fixed stars in the sky. The abacus or tide computer is used to figure the time of the tides, that greatly affect navigation both in harbors and for fishing.

The pointer located on top of the meridian ring (outer ring) is used to point to the desired lattitude. The inside ring is used as the hour ring. In the middle you have the bridge which has a marker to adjust the month. In the middle of the marker is a small hole which the sunlight passes through to reveal a sun spot on the inside of the equatorial (hour) ring, which in turns gives you the time.

Unlike the 6cm astronomical ring which can be relied upon to measure the time fairly accurately as far as sundials are concerned, this model is best used as a decoration.