NavList:

   

Reply

On 2/03/2014 23:36, John Karl wrote:
> On a frame's cross member (parallel to the arc and roughly half-way
> between the arc and the index mirror) is printed . JOH NYMAN . on an
> ivory inset.
>
> On the ivory arc scale at the 95 degree location is printed "Me fser"
> and below that it says "LONDON"
>
> I'm not sure if I'm reading several letters right in the "Me fser". The
> f, s, and r are hard to decipher. For example, the r actually look a lot
> like a Greek gamma. I'm not even sure if there's meant to be the space
> between these six letters...

Could it say 'Me fecit', as in 'made me'? Often this 'signum magister'
was carved in a medieval font that looks rather odd now, with a very
round letter E that could look like an S when worn. The gamma would in
fact be a T.

For this to make sense there would need to be an I between the last two
letters - or possibly the maker wrote 'me fect' and that was acceptable?

Here are a few examples:
http://elpasiego.foroactivo.com/t21-signum-magister

In this case it would say 'Joh. Nyman made me'.

Johan(nes) Nyman appears to be a Scandinavian name, possibly Finish.
This is as far as my 25 year old Latin skills and Google have been able
to take me.

Luc

   

Reply