"Michel Butterfield (1635-1724), an English clockmaker and manufacturer of measuring instruments, began working in France in 1677. Quickly appointed Ingénieur du Roy the following year in 1678, he worked for the court, both Louis XIV and the King of England, and founded a precision instrument store under the name "Aux Armes d'Angleterre".

Among his major achievements are a silver planisphere for the Académie Royale des Sciences, commissioned in 1680 by Jean-Dominique Cassini, first director of the Paris Observatory, as well as the bronze division of the meridian circles and the horizon circles for the famous Globes de Coronelli or Globes de Marly, commissioned by Cardinal d'Estrées and dedicated to King Louis XIV.

But if Butterfield's name resonates today in the history of precision instruments, it's for the creation of a very special portable horizontal compass sundial, elongated octagonal in shape, with a folding style-axis decorated with a bird, adjustable in latitude, the bird's beak serving as an index. These dials, known today as "Butterfield dials", met with great success and were copied from the end of the 17th century onwards, notably by Pierre Sevin, Louis Chapotot, Nicolas Bion, Michel Cadot, Henry Macquart, Jacques Canivet, Pierre II Lemaire and other leading French and European manufacturers of measuring

Randier Collection in figures:
- 50 years of one expert's passion
- 860 lots.
- Science: nearly 180 lots

Henri-Claude Randier, the epitome of an old-fashioned hunter-collector, has traveled the world in search of objects for the past 5 decades. This enthusiast and great professional has collected many scientific and marine objects, as well as ironwork, masonic and companionship objects, locksmiths, tobacconists, cutlery, trade instruments and a multitude of small, original or singular objects. After 50 years as a dealer and expert, he entrusted Aguttes with the dispersal of his collection. Three auctions will be necessary to disperse this ensemble, which will satisfy institutions, collectors, amateurs and the curious alike, both in terms of the diversity of the objects brought together and the range of estimates, which oscillate between €30 and €30,000.

RANDIER COLLECTION
SCIENCE, MARINE & CURIOSITIES

Auction
May 15, 16 and 17, 2023
Neuilly-sur-Seine

Exhibition
May 10, 11 and 12: 10 am - 1 pm and 2 pm - 6 pm
May 15: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Sophie Perrine
Auctioneer
+33 1 41 92 06 44 • perrine@aguttes.com