Sundials by Robert Foster Commission a dial

Wall dials

The Green Man wall dial: a landscape brass plate carrying a foliate face cast in high relief, its hair and beard formed from leaves, ringed by a horseshoe-shaped band finished in green verdigris and numbered in Arabic hours from 7 on the left, round through 12 at the foot, to 5 on the right, with leaf sprays at the lower corners.

Green Man

Wall sundial in all brass, with a green verdigris effect

£225

Commission the Green ManSizes and weights

A figure from European folklore, and a personification of the plant kingdom, the Green Man is ideally situated in any garden context. The all-brass, south-facing cameo design has been given a green verdigris effect.

The Green Man is an integral part of European folklore, ancient personification of the life-forces of the plant kingdom, guardian of forest wildlife, associate in the world of myth and magic with the Celtic god Cernunnos, and the hunting goddess Diana. Many thousands of years old, but now in fashion as a symbol of environmental concern, the Green Man's image can be found in many a village church, and not a few cathedrals too, lovingly carved in wood or stone.

Size and weights

Backing plate size: 16in x 12in (406 x 305mm)£225Approx. weight 11.5lbs (5.22kgs)

Your inscription

Brass and Bronze are both excellent for engraving, Aluminium less so. The full globe armillaries offer an ideal surface for your personal message: along the top facing side of the Equator.

On sundials which do not have a surface suitable for engraving, a separate brass plaque can usually be fixed to the top of the pedestal to provide a fine alternative.

Robert's guide price for an inscription is from £65.00.

A drawing of the dial face with the inscription set across itVIVIIVIIIIXXXIXIIIIIIIIIIIIVVISol splendit omnibus

Shown across the foot of the backing plate, below the hours.

One or two lines, up to 68 characters (20 so far). Longer wordings and verses are possible on some pieces, so ask Robert if yours will not fit.

Or start from one of Robert's own mottoes

He keeps a longer list: A Few Latin Sundial Mottos (PDF).

Commission the Green Man with this wording

Your wording travels with you to the next step. Nothing is ordered here: the commission page sets out the piece, the size and the wording for Robert to confirm with you.

Another photograph

A traditional Green Man carved in stone, a face peering out from a mask of deeply cut leaves, of the kind found in village churches and cathedrals.
Detail

How to order

Delivery
Robert charges £20.00 to deliver an armillary or wall sundial.
By telephone
Card details are taken by telephone.01952 884057, the workshop01746 783714, the office
By post
Print the order form (PDF) and post it to Sundials, Maw's Craft Centre, Jackfield, Telford, TF8 7LS. Cheques are payable to SUNDIALS.
In person
The workshop and showroom are at Maw's Craft Centre in Jackfield. Please telephone first, to be sure someone is on hand.

Others in this collection

The Cameo south-facing wall dial mounted on a buff brick wall: an arched brass plate toned green with age, with a raised sun disc and projecting gnomon at the top, rays radiating out to ball tips, and Roman numeral hours running from VI on the left, through XII at the foot, to VI on the right. Cameo £385 The Auguste south-facing wall dial mounted on a red brick wall: a tall brass plate with a raised sun disc and projecting gnomon at the top, rays radiating out to ball tips, Roman numeral hours set around and beneath them, and at the foot an engraved Equation of Time chart flanked by two small cast figures, one carrying an umbrella and one with its arms raised. Auguste £405

See all wall dials