16th century silver German perpetual calendar
On application
A 16th century German perpetual calendar with four rotating discs and one fixed disc with extremely detailed engravings. The calandrium perpetuum is in excellent working condition, and the extreme decorations give something price of the Christian owner who remembered general Christian holidays and the St. Bartholomew’s Massacre in 1572.
On the front January to June are engraved, on the back July to December. Each month features engraved dates of saints and Christian holidays. The remarkable is 24 August, which refers to St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre in 1572. This was a widespread slaughter of French Protestants (Huguenots) by Catholics beginning on 24 August 1572 and lasting over two months, resulting in the deaths of between 5,000 and 25,000 people. After this event many Huguenots fled from Paris to better places with more tolerance on religion.
The small movable plate on the front is held in the middle by a decorative rivet. On the small movable plate on the front, the four seasons are depicted. On the large sliding plate, the time between sunrise and sunset can be indicated.
On the back a sun and moon calendar Through the collaboration of three movable discs, it is determined which day of the month has the earliest sunrise. The small rotating disc indicates the month, solar path, sunrise, daylight length, sunset, and nighttime length. On the large rotating disc, the days of the month are marked.
The following mainly Christian holidays are marked:
Januarius
1 Neu Jahr
6 Heil. 3 König
25 Pauli Beck
Februarius
2 Maria Liecht
22 Petri Stulfeur
24 Mathias
Martius
12 Gregorius
25 Maria ver Kündigung
Aprilis
23 Georgius
25 Marcus Evangeli
Mayus
Phil 1 Jacobi
3 Erfünchung
25 Urbanus
Junius
8 Meclarclus Joh
24 Taüffer
29 Pet: Pauli
Julius
2 Maria Hein
22 Maria Magal
25 Jacobus
Augustus
10 Laurentius Mar
15 Himelf
24 Barholo (St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre in 1572)
September
8 Maria Geb
21 Matheus
29 Michel li
October
16 Gallus
28 Simon Juda
November
1 Aller Heilig
10 Martinus
30 Andreas
December
21 Thomas
25 Christag
27 Joh. Eva
Diameter: 6 cm.
