This is a replica of a victorian sunshine recorder made for the Kew Observatory in London. The orignal was designed by John Francis Campbell and is considered the forerunner of the much refined cast iron and brass recorder developed with George Gabriel Stokes which became the official instrument for sunshine measurement with the British Meteorological Office for weather stations throughout the UK and many other countries throught the world for over 120 years.
This example is beautifully made and has been carefully reproduced to match. It consist of a solid block of lacquered Mahogany of hexagon shape with the centre carved out in the form of a bowl allowing the sun's rays to burn a trace into the wood through a solid glass (acrylic) ball. The instrument would make a lovely collectors piece.
152mm across x 77mm deep