1808-1830

Engraved Plate CCXXXVII by John Farey from David Brewster’s Edinburgh Encyclopaedia (1808-30)… . Note (7) the folding pillar compasses. (8) the turn-about compasses. (I2) a double bar parallel rule, (13) a beam compass and fittings, (14) Farey’s device for striking curves of high radius. (15-17) a scale rule with offsets shown together with Farey’s bevel, (19) a drawing board set up with Farey’s tee-square and bevel shown with drawing pins holding down the drawing paper, (20-22) Farey’s device for dividing circles, (23) Mr Donkin’s steel pen, (24) a ruling pen with split handle for easy cleaning. Science Museum Library, London.

Drawing Instruments 1580-1980, Hambly M, 1988

1797

Parallel rules: four versions of 6-inch parallel rules - (A) plain, (D) with scissored links, (C) double parallel rule with parallel links, (D) double rule with scissored links; (E) a 12-inch parallel rolling rule; (F), (G) and (H) parallel rule/set square for setting off right angles; (I), (K) and (L) protracting parallel rule for setting off any angle; (M), (N) and (O) Haywood’s parallel rule which resembles a gauge. Pl.II from the revised edition (1797) of George Adams the Younger’s Geometrical and Graphical Essays.

Drawing Instruments 1580-1980, Hambly M, 1988

1796

Engraving from George Adams the Younger’s Geometrical and Graphical Essays dated December 1796; Fig. 2 shows Adams’ perspective apparatus … which incorporates three rollers to operate the drawing point suspended by wires from a counter-balanced metal frame.

Drawing Instruments 1580-1980, Hambly M, 1988

c.1790-1799

Gaspard Monge’s universal spatial matrix of descriptive geometry (1790s), from R. G. Robertson, Descriptive Geometry … Monge’s spatial matrix was construed as an a priori entity where all concrete phenomena could be objectively described by means of mathematical coordinates in three orthogonal dimensions.

Courtesy of Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons Ltd.

Architectural Representation and the Perspective Hinge, Perez-Gomez A & Pelletier L, 1997

c.1790

Ellipsograph of brass and steel inscribed ‘Gourdin á Paris’ with frame and circular plate designed as a trammel slotted to take the drawing arm; the four adjustable feet at the corners are missing. c. I 790. Museum of the History of Science, Oxford.

Drawing Instruments 1580-1980, Hambly M, 1988

c.1770

Tortoise-shell-covered small pocket case with decorative silver mounts which contains silver instruments; the 4½-inch protractor is signed ‘E. Nairne London’. This small set includes a pair of large compasses with inserts for pencil and ink (note the link piece for their storage), a pair of small bows for ink, a ruling pen with turned handle with the protracting pin shown exposed and a silver mounted pencil. Case: 5in (127mm) long. c.I770. Andrew Alpern Collection, New York.

Drawing Instruments 1580-1980, Hambly M, 1988

1755

Frontispiece which incorporates formalised decorative use of drawing instruments, from Sirigatti’s Practice of Perspective; the English edition by Isaac Ware, London, 1755.

Drawing Instruments 1580-1980, Hambly M, 1988

c.1740

Drawing Instruments 1580-1980, Hambly M, 1988

A black fishskin silver mounted pocket case containing a complete set of silver drawing instruments; the parallel rule and sector are signed ‘Thomas Wright’. Intended for a military engineer since gunners’ callipers are included. c. I740. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

1734

Engraving from William Salmon’s Palladio Londinensis of 1734 which shows a plain tee-square and its use with paper on a drawing board together with an adjustable version, a parallel rule and dividers.

Drawing Instruments 1580-1980, Hambly M, 1988

Mid-18th Century

Drawing Instruments 1580-1980, Hambly M, 1988

A parallel rule of mahogany with brass scissored links and slotted plate with knobs to adjust the distance between the rules, signed ‘T Heath Fecit’. Length 14in (362 mm). Mid-18th century. Private collection. 

c.1728

Compass and rule : architecture as mathematical practice in England, 1500-1750 Gerbino A, Johnston S, 2009

Thomas Heath, architectural protractors to the design of William Halfpenny, c. 1728. Collection of Howard Dawes.

c.1700

Early 5¼ inch Brass Protractor engraved Flottmann Fec Berolini (Berlin) Circa 1700…

… illustrated on Page 154 Early Scientific Instruments Europe 1400-1800 Anthony Turner Pub. 1987.

http://www.fleaglass.com/index.php?a=15&b=1432

1680

Markus Geissbuehler

http://tinyurl.com/6q8h8ej

 Butterfield Paris - 12.5x6.5/6x2 cm - 1680

puzzler:

realist:

dreaminginthedeepsouth:

yama-bato:

invisiblestories:

Detail from the Portrait of the Astronomer Nikolaus Kratzer

c 1570

Drawing Instruments, Signed by Bartholomew Newsum

circa 1570; London

Gilt brass; 198 ? 74 ? 74 mm

This is the earliest known set of drawing instruments in their original case; it was made by Bartholomew Newsum, clockmaker to Elizabeth I.

All the sides of the box are finely engraved with representations of War, Peace, Poverty and Abundance, and all the instruments are elegantly decorated.

British Museum, London

Registration no. MLA 1912, 2-8.1