From CMessing@mountvernon.org Sat Sep 10 00:46:20 2005 Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2005 17:11:52 -0400 From: Christine Messing To: Walter Sanford Subject: RE: Touching Base Hello Walter - Sorry I have not gotten back to you sooner. I've been away from my desk working in our storage facility for most of the last week and am still trying to catch up on my emailing. I have attached a recent photograph of the sundial that I hope will show enough of the detail to be useful for you. Of course, this photo is for your research purposes only and is not to be used in any publication. If your British colleagues wish to publish an article at some point, please have them contact Dawn Bonner at dbonner@mountvernon.org to obtain a better quality, publishable photograph and the necessary copyright paperwork. To sum up our phone conversation, George Washington's original sundial is here at Mount Vernon and was, in fact, in its original position on the West Front circle until about a year or so ago, having been away from Mount Vernon in private hands from the mid-19th century until 1937. It took until 1939 for the original sundial to be placed back on the circle, because it took some time for the Ladies to have an appropriate post made to replicate the original on which the sundial sat. A letter written by Lawrence Washington to Arthur Havemeyer in July of 1914 states that the post on which the sundial sat in GW’s time rotted away, apparently during the time when Mount Vernon was in the possession of Lawrence’s father, and the sundial was then taken into the house. The sundial remained in the possession of his father after leaving Mount Vernon until Lawrence inherited it. It is not clear to me whether the sundial was given by Lawrence to Mr. Havemeyer shortly prior to the letter of 1914 or many years prior to that. Lawrence indicates in the letter that he gave the sundial to Arthur Havemeyer “in token of my appreciation of the courtesies extended by your father to me.” When the original sundial was moved to our storage facility recently, it was replaced on the circle by a reproduction of the original, the same Virginia Metalcrafters reproduction as is sold in our shops. The reproduction is made from molds taken of the original so should be very accurate. The original sundial will be featured in our new museum facilities, scheduled to open in Fall 2006. Here is the information we have in our collections database regarding the sundial: Brass sundial with octagonal dial plate and screw mounting holes at four points. Face has etched circular design in center with 8-pointed star radiating outward; etched feather design points directed to north, south, east, west and etched linear design points directed to NE, SE, SW, NW. Roman numerals I-VII located on right side of the gnoman, and V-XII located on the left. Outer ring of repeated divisions numbered in repetition - "20, 40, 60" sectioned by five marks each equaling ten minutes. On the reverse is a metal catalog label [W715] screwed to the center; [W715] also stamped into the dial plate. No visible maker's marks. This sundial was originally at Mount Vernon and owned by George Washington, purchased in the 1780s. In the possession of Lawrence Washington, son of John Augustine Washington, III (1820-1861), and presented by Lawrence Washington to Arthur Havemeyer, who then sold it through Jos. F. Sabin. (FYI - John Augustine Washington, III was the last family member to own the estate and is the individual from whom the Ladies' Association purchased the property). The sundial was purchased by Anne Burr Jennings, Mount Vernon's Vice Regent for Connecticut, from the then owner (who wishes to remain anonymous) in 1937. Dedicated during Council in 1939. Note: The original sundial replaced a reproduction sundial funded by the Vice Regent for Rhode Island placed on the original site in the center of the circular grass lawn in 1889. We no longer have the 1889 sundial in our collection. The article I mentioned which briefly refers to the sundial and to Robert Kellogg was in the Washington Post on Thursday, September 30, 2004, entitled “Sundials, Time and Again” by Adrian Higgins. You should be able to get that from the Washington Post website archives but let me know if you are unable to get a copy and I can mail or fax a copy to you. The article also mentions the sundial in the garden at Tudor Place, the Georgetown home of Martha Washington’s granddaughter, Martha Custis Peter. I believe I have covered everything we discussed and summarized the information in the sundial’s accession file. I hope this is useful to you and your colleagues. Thank you for your interest in Mount Vernon and please do let me know if I can be of further assistance. With best regards, Christine Messing Assistant Curator George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens -----Original Message----- From: Walter Sanford [mailto:wsanford@wsanford.com] Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2005 8:58 AM To: Christine Messing Subject: Touching Base Dear Christine, Just a quick note to follow-up on our conversation last week re: the G.W. sundial. I expected to hear from you via e-mail; so far, I have not received any messages from you. In case you're having trouble with my e-mail address, I'm sending you a short message in order to open the lines of communication. More later after I hear from you. ================================================================= Walter Sanford, Director Carl Sandburg Middle School Center for Sky Awareness 8428 Fort Hunt Road Sandburg Planetarium Alexandria, VA 22308 Fairfax County Public Schools Work: 703-799-6169 -6197 (fax) E-mail: wsanford@wsanford.com Home: 703-765-9392 AMS Project ATMOSPHERE Atmospheric Education Resource Agent & Water in the Earth System (WES) Resource Teacher SCSA, Geosystems, & Camp T-Equity - URL: http://www.wsanford.com/ ================================================================= ^@ [ Part 2, "GW sundial.jpg" Image/JPEG 254KB. ] [ Unable to print this part. ]