Existing comment:
Solar Observation Shield
first quarter of the 17th century
German, probably Augsburg
This mysterious instrument has been in the collection of the Esterházy princes since 1696. It is likely the only one of its kind, and its function remains unknown. The height of the large disk of blue glass atop the striking wood and silver mount is adjustable; it may have been used to shield the eyes of a person observing an eclipse or the movement of the sun. |