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Some of these books may be out of print, but are likely to be available secondhand . Additions or corrections to this list are welcome. Please E-mail us.
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Sundial books in print - English
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Sundials by C St J H Daniel
(Shire Album no. 176), Shire Publications, Princes Risborough, HP17 9AJ, UK, 1986, 32pp with 50 illustrations and 3 diagrams. A very good general introduction to sundials. £1.75(?) Order this book today!
Sundials - History Theory and Practice by Rene' RJ Rohr
(translated by Gabriel Godin from "Les Cadrans Solaires") Dover Publications, 31 E 2nd. St., Mineola, NY 11501, USA, 176 pp,
Sundials - Their Theory and Construction, by Albert E Waugh
Dover Books, London/ NY, 228pp, ISBN 0 486 22947 5, . A very comprehensive guide to all aspects of dialling
Easy-to-make Wooden Sundials by Milton Stoneman
Dover Publications, 31 E 2nd. St., Mineola, NY 11501, USA, 64 pp,.
A Hand Guide to Astronomical Observatory of Jaipur
Piyush International, 366 Indira Bazar, Jaipur, India, 1997 (2nd edition), 40 pp with 22 coloured photographs. Comprehensive description of all the instruments on this very interesting sundial site and of its construction by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh in between 1727 and 1743.
The Art of Sundial Construction by Peter Drinkwater
P. Drinkwater,56 Church Street, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwick, UK, 1985. A geometrical approach to the calculation of many kinds of dials. 84pp. ISBN 0 946643 09 1
Astronomical Observatory of Jaipur, India by Daulat Singh
Delta Publications, "Die Festung", Jai Ambay Nagar, Tonk Road, Jaipur, 1981. Describes the extensive collection of sundials and other instruments laid out as a huge outdoor observatory by Sawai Jai Singh in the early 18th century, including the Samrat Yantra (king of all instruments) constructed of masonry with a gnomon 90 feet high, which enables the local time to be determined to within 2 seconds. 34pp.
A Celebration of Cornish Sundials by Carolyn Martin
Dyllansow Truran, Trewolsta, Trewirgie, Cornwall, UK, 1994. Includes a list of Cornish sundials and a map of where to find them, and chapters on history, and types of sundials and the mathematics. Many line drawings. 48pp. ISBN 1 85022 071 9
Cambridge Sundials by Alexis Brookes and Margaret Stanier.
Pendragon Press, Papworth Everard, Cambridge. Colour photographs and full descriptions of 19 sundials in the city of Cambridge and 4 nearby. 56 pp
A Dozen Dials by PH Ransom
PH Ransom, 29 Rufus Close, Southampton SO16 8LR, 1998. A book about sundials connected with mathematics and its history. 56pp. with illustrations.
Hampshire Sundials
Sunshade Press, 9 Lynwood Avenue, Epsom, UK, 1996 KT17 4LQ, 16pp with 32 A5 colour photographs
The Inequalities of Sundial Time by Dr. Eilon Soroka
Dr. Eilon Soroka, 36 Bilu Street, Rishon LeZion 75321, Israel. 1st edition, 1999, Rishon LeZion, ISRAEL 294pp, 55 tables, 37 graphs, 28 b/w figures, 32 b/w illus., $95 + P & P
Make a Sundial by Jane Walker et al.
British Sundial Publications, 55 Sevenacres, Somerton, Somerset, UK, 1991, 70pp, £5. Written for schools, but is also a very good practical introduction for a novice wishing to make sundials, and to understand their making.
Making a Clock-Accurate Sundial customized to your location, by Sam Muller
Naturegraph Publishers Inc. 3543 Indian Creek Road, Happy Camp, CA 96039, 58 pp, 1997. A practical guide for making your first sundial, with step-by-step instructions and clear diagrams (See review) Order this book today! (UK)
Maltese Sundials by Paul I. Micallef
Sapiensam Bookshop, Republic Street, Malta, 1994. A complete survey of the designers of Maltese sundials and 60 black-and-white photographs with text of sundials in Malta. 125pp.
Oxford Sundials by Margaret Stanier
Somerville College, Oxford. Colour photographs of 15 sundials with full descriptions. 36pp
SUNCLOCKS - Paper Sundials to Make and Use.
JVT Publications, 5549 Camus Rd, Carson City, NV 89701, USA, ISBN 1-893812-51-0, A very useful introduction to sundials with 8 cut-out projects to make a sundial for different latitudes in the USA (See review)
Suffolk Sundials by John Davis
Sunshade Press, 9 Lynwood Avenue, Epsom, KT17 4LQ , UK. 1997, A4, 20pp with 32 colour photographs plus map showing location of the dials £15.00 (incl p&p Europe) add £3 for other countries.
Sundials by Frank W Cousins
Pica Press, New York City, 1970. A very comprehensive work on gnomics, giving the history, theory and lay-outs of all types fo sun dials, including dialling scales, moon dials, self-compensating dials, Wheatstone dials, etc.
Sundials by R N and M W Mayall
Sky Publishing Corp, Cambridge, Mass, 1989, 250pp, Comprehensive, and with a rather different approach to Waugh
Sundials Australia, by Margaret Folkard and John Ward
Sundials Australia, 3, Bedford Street, Kensington Park, South Australia 5068, 1996, 113 pages, A4 size, 90 black and white photographs and 100 line drawings. This authoritative book includes relevant facts about the Earth, Sun and stars, and the various types of sundial, and the relationship between sun and clock time. Formulae for calculating hour lines are clearly listed. The blackness and sharpness of shadows is discussed. There is also a collection of mottoes, a dictionary of sundial terms, and a list of references.
Sundials and Timedials, by Jenkins and Bear
Tarquin Publications, 1987, 15pp with 8 models ISBN 0 906212 59 6
Sundials of East Sussex by Michael Lowne
Sunshade Press, 9 Lynwood Avenue, Epsom, KT17 4LQ , UK., 1997, A4, 16pp with 19 colour photographs plus map showing location of the dials 0 (incl p&p Europe) add £3 for other countries.
Time and the Sundial by Carole Vincent, 1988
Philips and Co, High Street, Crediton, Devon, UK, 24pp, 99p. A simple and clear exposition of the different types of sundials, of sun time and clock time, and of how to set up a horizontal sundial. Also a description of the Armada dial in Plymouth - the biggest horizontal dial in Britain.
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Sundial books - French
Cadrans Solaires de la Sarthe par Paul Deciron
Petit Patrimonie Sarthois, 2 rue des Maillets, 72072 Le Mans, France, 1996. A5, 75pp including many black-and-white photographs. This book gives a lot of background on sundials, together with a list of some 100 sundials in the departement of the Sarthe centred on Le Mans.
Cadrans Solaires de Paris by Andrée Gotteland & Georges Camus
CNRS Editions, 15 rue Mallebranche 75005 Paris, France,224 pages, ISBN 2-271-05533-4, Lists 190 sundials in Paris classified by district, together with much other sundial information.
Cadrans Solaires des Alpes by Pierre Putelat and Paul Gagnaire
P. Putelat, Molines-en-Queyras, 05350 France. ISBN 2-9505792-5-6
Calcul astronomique pour amateurs by S.Bouiges(Masson, 1982) ISBN 2-225-78265-2. It contains a very usefull section : calcul d'un cadran solaire plan.
Gnomonique Moderne par Denis Savoie
Societe Astronomique de France,3 rue Beethoven, 75016 Paris France. ISBN 2-901730-05-1, 252 pp., 1997 This books is addressed to all those interested in sundials. It deals with the mathematical calculation of sundials with numerous worked examples. It presents the complete theory of sundials including some aspects ignored in the classical texts. There is also a complete bibliography of sundial articles and books in French.
Les cadrans solaires Vaudois par Christophe Galluz
Payot, Lausanne,1987. ISBN 2-601-03035-6. 31 pages of text and 80 pages of photographs (some in colour) of sundials from the canton Vaud (centred on Lausanne in Switzerland).
L'heure au soleil - Cadrans solaire de Franche Comté by F.Suagher, P. Perroud, JP Marchand
Librarie CETRE, 17 Grand Rue, F-25000 Besancon,1991. ISBN 2-901040-95-8 128 pages 0 coloured photographs and drawing of sundials in Eastern France near Besançon. Historical patrimony, curiosities, popular art and location of 230 sundials.
Sundial books - German Literaturhinweise (deutschsprachig)
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Chronometrie : 'Sonnenuhren - Handbuch',
Manuskriptform, 218 Seiten, DIN A4, Bezug : DGC, Ziererweg 8, D-71254 Ditzingen.
Groh-Karten Bibliothek, 'Sonnenuhren',
18 arbpostkarten mit einem Vorwrt von Jutta Metz, Fotokunst-Verlag Groh, Wörthsee bei München
Philipp/Roth/Bachmann : 'Sonnenuhren - Deutschland und Schweiz', Katalog der ortsfesten Sonnenuhren,
Herausgeber : Deutsche Gesellschaft für Chronometrie, 750 Seiten, 16,5 x 24 cm, Bezug : DGC, Ziererweg 8, D-71254 Ditzingen.
Rohr René R. J. : 'Die Sonnenuhr', Geschichte, Theorie, Funktion.
Verlag Callwey München, 1982, 215 Seiten, 26 x 29 cm, ISBN 3-7667-0610-1
Schaldach Karlheinz : 'Römische Sonnenuhren', Einführung in die antike Gnomonik,
Verlag Harri Deutsch Thun und Frankfurt am Main, 123 Seiten, 15 x 21 cm, ISBN 3-8171-1537-7
Schilt Heinz : 'Ebene Sonnenuhren', Sonnenuhren verstehen und planen - berechnen und bauen.
1985. 128 Seiten, 15 x 21 cm, Bezug : Heinz Schilt, Dorfstr. 24, CH-3506 Grosshöchstetten/BE/Schweiz.
Schumacher Heinz : 'Sonnenuhren 1', Gestaltung, Konstruktion, Ausführung.
Verlag Callwey München, 3. Auflage 1984, 173 Seiten, 21 x 26,5 cm, ISBN 3-7667-0725-6
Schwarzinger Karl, 'Katalog der ortsfesten Sonnenuhren in Österreich',
Herausgeber : Österreichischer Astronomischer Verein, Wien 1993, 144 Seiten, 23,5 x 16,5 cm, Bezug : Karl Schwarzinger, Tiglsweg 76a, A-6073 Sistrans/österreich, Tel u. Fax : 0043 / 512 / 378868, Email : k.schwarzinger@tirol.com.
Zenkert Arnold : 'Faszination Sonnenuhr',
Verlag Harri Deutsch Thun und Frankfurt am Main, 2. Auflage 1995, 167 Seiten, 21 x 24 cm, ISBN 3-8171-1386-2
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Sundial books - Italian
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La Meridiana di Piazza Vecchia in Bergamo
Text Gianfranco Alessandretti, Photography Domenico Luchetti, Editore Lucchetti - Bergamo - Italy. 47 pp with colour photographs. Full historical, technical and gnomonical treatment; The history of the word "Analemma"; The measurement of time.
Meridiane - le techniche.
Ed Demetria Srl, via del lavoro 52 - loc Ferlina, 37012 Bussolengo (Vr), Italy. Linda Perina e Renzo Zanoni et al. 95 pp with colour photographs. Excellent "How-to" treatment, with 20 articles on the history of sundials and the nature of time plus 11 articles on the practicalities of constructing a Sundial.
Meridiane e Orologi Solari di Bologna e Provincia
G. Paltrinieri, via Giuseppe Dozza n. 3, 40139 Bologna, Italy.
Meridiane e Orologi Solari d'Italia
G. Paltrinieri, via Giuseppe Dozza n. 3, 40139 Bologna, Italy. 275 pp with colour photographs. Full historical, technical and gnomonical treatment.
Meridiane in Provincia di Asti
Adminstrazione Provinciale di Asti, 1992 (57 pp)(out of print)
Orologi solari - Trattato completo di gnomonica by Girolamo Fantoni
Technimedia, Rome 1988 .
Orologi Solari a Taggia
Mario Arnaldi, Viale Leonardo 82, 48029 Lido Adriano, RA, Italy, Lit15,000
"Segnali di tempo - Meridiane in Provincia di Cuneo" by Davide Dutto e Lucio Maria Morra
(Via Craveri, 45 - 12045 Fossano (CN) - Italy) L'Arciere-Blu Edizioni, Cuneo 1996 (144 pp).
Sundial books - Spanish
"Relojes de sol.Historia,Funcionamiento,Construcción"ISBN:84-315-2070-1 by Gian Carlo Pavanello & Aldo Trinchero
189 paginas Editorial De Vecchi, S. A. 1998 Balmes,247. 08006 BARCELONA
Diseño y Construcción de Relojes de Sol y de Luna by Rafael Soler
Celegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Carrer Convent de Sant Francese 10-1er, 07001 Ciutat de Mallorca, Spain,
Relojes de Piedra en Galicia JL Basanta Campos