Science & Mathematics

Chemical Balance

The Museum's collections hold thousands of objects related to chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, and other sciences. Instruments range from early American telescopes to lasers. Rare glassware and other artifacts from the laboratory of Joseph Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen, are among the scientific treasures here. A Gilbert chemistry set of about 1937 and other objects testify to the pleasures of amateur science. Artifacts also help illuminate the social and political history of biology and the roles of women and minorities in science.

The mathematics collection holds artifacts from slide rules and flash cards to code-breaking equipment. More than 1,000 models demonstrate some of the problems and principles of mathematics, and 80 abstract paintings by illustrator and cartoonist Crockett Johnson show his visual interpretations of mathematical theorems.

Topic: Drafting, Engineering

Bruning 2090P Open Divided Scale

This white and orange plastic rule has scales for 1/2" and 1" to the foot along its top edge on the front side. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1/2", numbered from left to right by twos from 0 to 8, and numbered from right to left by ones from 0 to 4.
Description
This white and orange plastic rule has scales for 1/2" and 1" to the foot along its top edge on the front side. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1/2", numbered from left to right by twos from 0 to 8, and numbered from right to left by ones from 0 to 4. The bottom edge has scales for 1/8" and 1/4" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1/8", numbered from left to right by fours from 0 to 44, and numbered from right to left by twos from 0 to 22. The top edge is marked: BRUNING 2090P. It is also marked: MADE IN U.S.A.
On the back, the top edge has scales for 3/8" and 3/4" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 3/8", numbered from left to right by twos from 0 to [1]2, and numbered from right to left by ones from 0 to 6. The bottom edge has scales for 1-1/2" and 3" to the foot. A brown leather sheath is marked: BRUNING.
Charles Bruning (1866–1931) was born in Denmark and immigrated to the United States. In Chicago during the 1890s, he became interested in the blue print business. In 1897, he set up his own blue printing company in Manhattan, which was incorporated as the New York Blue Print Paper Company in 1901. Around 1920 he purchased American Blue Print Company of Chicago, and the combined firms became known as the Charles Bruning Company, Inc.
By 1936, the firm was offering model 2090 in boxwood and with plastic edges over boxwood. It began to make the rule from molded plastic in 1948, but it did not give the rule model number 2090P until 1952, when the rule sold for $1.80. According to the donor, the instrument was used by her husband, the electrical engineer Robert H. Wieler (1923–1993). For other open divided or chain scales, see 1998.0032.08, 1981.0933.14, 1981.0933.15, and 1992.0433.04.
References: "Charles Bruning," New York Times (January 31, 1931), 14; Charles Bruning Company, Inc., General Catalog, 12th ed. (New York, 1936), 120; Charles Bruning Company, Inc., General Catalog, 14th ed. (New York, [1948]), 88; Charles Bruning Company, Inc., General Catalog, 15th ed. (Teterboro, N.J., and Chicago, 1952), 115; accession file.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1952
maker
Charles Bruning Company
ID Number
1998.0032.09
catalog number
1998.0032.09
accession number
1998.0332

Alteneder Opposite Bevel Chain Scale Retailed by B. K. Elliott

This six-inch wooden ruler is beveled and coated with white plastic along both long edges. One side is divided to 1/50" and numbered in both directions from 0 to 6. The number "50" is printed below the three-inch mark, and the center of the rule is marked: ALTENEDER.
Description
This six-inch wooden ruler is beveled and coated with white plastic along both long edges. One side is divided to 1/50" and numbered in both directions from 0 to 6. The number "50" is printed below the three-inch mark, and the center of the rule is marked: ALTENEDER. The other side is divided to 1/32" and numbered in both directions from 0 to 6. The number "32" is printed below the three-inch mark, and the wooden part of the rule is marked: B. K. ELLIOTT Co. PITTSBURGH – CLEVELAND. It is also marked: R. S. C. It is also marked: U.S. ST'D.
Theodore Alteneder began making drawing instruments in Philadelphia in 1850, and the firm remains in existence as a manufacturer of photoengraving equipment. Byron Kenneth Elliott (b. 1870) opened a store in Pittsburgh in 1897 that sold drawing, surveying, and optical equipment. The shop closed in 1980. The donor's father, Robert S. Condon, used this instrument.
The date for this object is uncertain. Theo. Alteneder & Sons made a 6" opposite bevel scale with white edges and these divisions as model 2232 from 1940 (when it cost $1.35) to at least 1958 (when it cost $3.25). However, according to catalog illustrations, the company mark during this period had the firm's full name around a circle, while this object has only "Alteneder" in a straight line. The scale does not appear in the 3rd, 5th, or 1948 7th editions of B. K. Elliott catalogs.
References: "Byron Kenneth Elliott," in History of Pittsburgh and Environs (New York and Chicago: American Historical Society, 1922), 35–36; Alteneder Drawing Instruments (Philadelphia, 1940), 26; Alteneder Drawing Instruments (Philadelphia, 1958), 26; Catalogue and Price List of B. K. Elliott Co., 3rd ed. (Pittsburgh, n.d.), 134, 140; Catalogue and Price List of B. K. Elliott Co., 5th ed. (Pittsburgh, n.d.), 135; Catalogue and Price List of B. K. Elliott Co., 7th ed. (Pittsburgh, 1948).
Location
Currently not on view
date made
20th century
distributor
B. K. Elliott Co.
maker
Theodore Alteneder and Sons
ID Number
1991.0793.01
accession number
1991.0793
catalog number
1991.0793.01

Pelikan Graphos Pen with Nibs

This 4-5/16" black plastic pen has a metal pocket clip and is marked in script: Pelikan Graphos GERMANY. The end is unscrewed from one side, revealing a metal holder for a pen nib, and screwed to the other side. The tip of the holder is marked: 3.
Description
This 4-5/16" black plastic pen has a metal pocket clip and is marked in script: Pelikan Graphos GERMANY. The end is unscrewed from one side, revealing a metal holder for a pen nib, and screwed to the other side. The tip of the holder is marked: 3. Nineteen different nibs may be attached to the pen. They each are marked: MADE IN GERMANY. They are also marked: Pelikan (/) GRAPHOS (/) GÜNT . . . NER. They are also marked: IMPORTE D'ALLEMAGNE. Each nib is marked with its size; brass inlays indicate the width for seven of the nibs (those for drawing fine lines).
The set is in a wooden bar-lock case covered in black leather and lined with dark blue velvet. The top of the case is marked: Pelikan (/) Graphos. The bottom of the case is marked: MADE IN GERMANY (/) IMPORTE D'ALLEMAGNE.
Carl Hornemann opened a color and ink factory in Hanover, Germany, in 1838. The company began using a pelican as its trademark in 1863 and first offered a fountain pen in 1929. The Graphos was manufactured in the form illustrated by this object between 1934 and 1957. This set was probably made in the early part of this time frame. The nibs were designed for technical drawing and lettering. Rotring took over the Graphos brand in 1978, but Pelikan remains in operation as of 2013.
References: Pelikan, "History," http://www.pelikan.com/pulse/Pulsar/en_US.Pelikan.timelineInitView.136400./history; Annina and Andreas Schenk, "Pelikan Graphos," http://www.kalligraphie.com/909-0-Pelikan-Graphos.html.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1934-1957
maker
Pelikan
ID Number
1989.0305.02
accession number
1989.0305
catalog number
1989.0305.02

Darling & Bailey Drafting Rule

Four scales of inches are on this two-sided, 12-inch steel rule used for engineering drawing. On one side, nine inches of one scale are divided to 1/10", one inch is divided to 1/20", one inch is divided to 1/50", and one inch is divided to 1/100".
Description
Four scales of inches are on this two-sided, 12-inch steel rule used for engineering drawing. On one side, nine inches of one scale are divided to 1/10", one inch is divided to 1/20", one inch is divided to 1/50", and one inch is divided to 1/100". Ten inches of the other scale are divided to 1/16", one inch is divided to 1/32", and one inch is divided to 1/64". The ruler is marked: D. & B. (/) BANGOR Me. (/) U.S. Stnd. It is also engraved: W.A.L.
On the other side, ten inches of one scale are divided to 1/12", one inch is divided to 1/24", and one inch is divided to 1/48". Eleven inches of the other scale are divided to 1/14", and one inch is divided to 1/28". The ruler is engraved: W.A.L.
A farmer and sawmill owner turned toolmaker, Samuel Darling (1815–1896) apparently first made machine tools in 1846. He built a dividing engine and partnered with Edward H. Bailey in Bangor, Me., in 1852. The next year, Darling received his first patent and bought out Bailey, and by 1854 he was in partnership with Michael Schwartz of Bangor. That business lasted until Darling moved his craftsmen and equipment to Brown & Sharpe's Providence, R.I., workshop in 1866. Thus, this object was made between 1852 and 1853. For a drafting tool invented by Darling, see 1977.0460.01 and 1990.0317.02.
An unidentified relative of Erasmus Darwin Leavitt Jr. (1836–1916), the renowned American mechanical engineer and designer of steam engines, owned this rule. (None of Leavitt's children had names that began with "W," and his father's name was also Erasmus.)
References: Samuel Darling, "Apparatus for Grinding and Shaping Metals" (U.S. Patent 9,976 issued August 30, 1853); Davistown Museum, "Registry of Maine Toolmaker Listings," http://www.davistownmuseum.org/TDMtoolMakers.html; Henry Dexter Sharpe, A Measure of Perfection: The History of Brown & Sharpe (North Kingston, R.I.: Brown & Sharpe, 1949), http://www.roseantiquetools.com/id44.html.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1852–1853
maker
Darling, Samuel
ID Number
1977.0460.05
accession number
1977.0460
catalog number
336076

Japanese Instrument

This flat rectangular brass instrument has four sets of lines on it, two sets on each side. Each set consists of four nested L-shaped lines and six shorter lines that run across them. Some of the shorter lines are straight, others are curved.
Description
This flat rectangular brass instrument has four sets of lines on it, two sets on each side. Each set consists of four nested L-shaped lines and six shorter lines that run across them. Some of the shorter lines are straight, others are curved. A thin, short metal bar is inset in one side of the instrument. According to old cataloging, the instrument is marked in Japanese "kakuchaku hanki hyo." The object also was cataloged at one time as a sundial.
The instrument was received with group of Japanese devices exhibited at the Centennial Expositon, a world's fair held in Philadelphia in1876.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1876
ID Number
MA.261317
accession number
51116
catalog number
261317

Keuffel & Esser 1419P Chain Scale

This 6" boxwood pocket ruler has a white celluloid coating along both long edges on both sides. On one side, the top edge is divided to 1/10" and numbered by ones in both directions from 0 to 6.
Description
This 6" boxwood pocket ruler has a white celluloid coating along both long edges on both sides. On one side, the top edge is divided to 1/10" and numbered by ones in both directions from 0 to 6. The bottom edge is divided to 1/40" and numbered by twos in both directions from 0 to 24. The middle of this side is marked: KEUFFEL & ESSER (/) N.Y.; PARAGON (/) 1419P; TRADE MARK (below the K&E eagle logo). It is also marked: LARSEN.
The other side is divided along the top edge to 1/50" and numbered by twos in both directions from 0 to 30. The bottom edge is divided to 1/30" and numbered by twos in both directions from 0 to 18. The middle of this side is marked: LARSEN. An orange leather sheath is marked: K & E CO. The back of the sheath is marked: P. M. L.
Keuffel & Esser of New York City sold model 1419P with a celluloid coating from 1913, for $1.35, to at least 1954, for $4.20. The markings on this example suggest it was made between 1913 and 1921.
William J. Ellenberger (1908–2008) donated this object, which he presumably acquired secondhand from P. M. Larsen. Ellenberger studied electrical and mechanical engineering at The George Washington University between 1925 and 1934. He then worked for the Potomac Electric Power Company and the National Bureau of Standards. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He was a civilian construction management engineer for the army from 1954 to 1968, when he became a private consultant.
References: Catalogue of Keuffel & Esser Co., 33rd ed. (New York, 1909), 184; Catalogue of Keuffel & Esser Co., 34th ed. (New York, 1913), 177; Catalogue of Keuffel & Esser Co., 36th ed. (New York, 1921), 124; Catalogue of Keuffel & Esser Co., 38th ed. (New York, 1936), 213; Catalogue of Keuffel & Esser Co., 42nd ed. (New York, 1954), 182; "The GW Engineering Hall of Fame 2006 Inductees," http://www.weas.gwu.edu/ifaf/hall_of_fame_inductees_2006.php.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913–1921
maker
Keuffel & Esser Co.
ID Number
1981.0933.14
accession number
1981.0933
catalog number
1981.0933.14

Schoenner Wallet Case of Drawing Instruments

This folding cardboard case is covered with green leather and lined with blue velvet. The back of the case is marked: 1905. Inside the lid flap, the left end is marked in silver: THE SPECIAL. A drawing of a sword runs through the words.
Description
This folding cardboard case is covered with green leather and lined with blue velvet. The back of the case is marked: 1905. Inside the lid flap, the left end is marked in silver: THE SPECIAL. A drawing of a sword runs through the words. The right end of the flap was missing when the set was received by the Smithsonian, but originally it likely was marked with the name of the retailer. The set includes:
1) 6-1/4" German silver compass with bendable legs and removable pencil and pen points. The central joint is marked: PATENT (/) MARCH 17 (/) 1903. Inside one leg is marked: C 36. Inside the other leg is marked: SCHOENNER ||. The ends of the pencil and pen points that insert into the compass leg are marked: 36 C. A latch on the pen point for widening the point is marked: PAT.FEB.4.04.
2) 6" German silver and steel dividers. The central hinge is marked: PATENT (/) MARCH 17 (/) 1903. Inside the other leg is marked: SCHOENNER ||.
3) 3-1/2" German silver extension bar. The end that inserts into the compass leg is marked: 36 C.
4) 4-3/8" and 5-1/2" ebony, German silver, and steel drawing pens. A latch on the point of the longer pen is marked: PAT.FEB.4.04.
5) 3-1/4" German silver and steel bow dividers, bow pencil, and bow pen.
6) 1-3/8" cylindrical metal case with three leads.
7) 1-1/8" blue metal joint tightener.
Schoenner was an instrument maker in Nuremberg, Germany, that particularly targeted the U.S. market. The firm held the rights to the March 17, 1903, patent, which covered the design of the pivot joint on drawing compasses. Georg Schoenner Jr. applied for the patent mentioned on the pen latches on February 4, 1904, and received it on June 14, 1904. For company history, see 1989.0305.05.
References: Wilhelm Schwarzer, "Compass" (U.S. Patent 723, 041 issued March 17, 1903); Georg Schoenner Jr., "Ruling Pen" (U.S. Patent 762,848 issued June 14, 1904).
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1905
maker
Schoenner, Georg
ID Number
1977.1101.0097
catalog number
1977.1101.0097
accession number
1977.1101

Set of 5 Japanese Scale Rules Signed Fujishima

A rectangular paulownia wood case has a red and white sticker on the right end marked: No. 45 (/) M. Inside the case are four bamboo rulers, three that are just over 12" (about 31 cm) long and one that is 2-1/4" (15.5 cm).
Description
A rectangular paulownia wood case has a red and white sticker on the right end marked: No. 45 (/) M. Inside the case are four bamboo rulers, three that are just over 12" (about 31 cm) long and one that is 2-1/4" (15.5 cm). A fifth rule is made of a darker wood, perhaps cherry.
The first rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 3000. The scales along both edges are identical, 30 cm long, divided to twentieths of a unit, and numbered by hundreds from 0 to 2,400. The back of the rule is stamped in red: METRE. It is also marked: 1 (/) 3000.
The second rule is made from a dark wood and is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. The scales are identical and labeled: 1/16. They are divided to half-units and numbered by fives from 5 to 190. Each increment of five units is 5/16" (8 mm) long.
The third rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 1800. The scales along both edges are identical, 30 cm long, divided to single units, and numbered by tens from 0 to 540. The back of the rule is stamped in red: METRE. It is also marked: 1 (/) 1800. It is also marked: 5.
The fourth rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 1600. The scales along both edges are identical, 30 cm long, divided to single units, and numbered by tens from 0 to 480. The back of the rule is stamped in red: METRE. It is also marked: 1 (/) 1600. It is also marked: 6.
The scales on the fifth and shortest rule are 2" (5 cm) long, divided to single units, and numbered by tens from 0 to 40. The rule is marked on the back: 1/800. It is also stamped in red: 3.
These rules were likely used in engineering and architectural drawing. Compare to MA.261283, MA.261284, MA.261286, and MA.261287. The rules were exhibited by the Japanese Empire Department of Education at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. They then were displayed by the Museum of the U.S. Bureau of Education until 1906 and transferred to the Smithsonian National Museum in 1910. For more information, see MA.261298 and MA.261313.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
before 1876
maker
Fujishima
ID Number
MA.261285
catalog number
261285
accession number
51116

Set of Drawing Instruments

This wooden case is covered with black leather and lined with purple velvet. Several circles have been drawn on the top of the lid.
Description
This wooden case is covered with black leather and lined with purple velvet. Several circles have been drawn on the top of the lid. The velvet inside the lid folds out to reveal a 6-3/4" wooden straight edge; a 3-1/2" metal L-shaped square; a 3-3/8" metal semicircular protractor divided to single degrees and numbered by tens from 10 to 170; and a 6" ivory plotting scale with one scalloped end. The plotting scale has diagonal scales at both ends. Above it are scales divided to 1/10" and numbered by ones from 6 to 1, and divided to 1/12" and numbered by tens from 50 to 10. The back of the plotting scale has a scale of chords and scales dividing the inch into 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, and 20 parts.
The bottom of the case has four pairs of German silver and steel dividers. Two pairs have a removable leg and are 5-3/8" long, one pair has fixed legs and is 4-7/8", and one pair has a removable leg and is 3-3/4". A pencil point is a little bit too short for the longest dividers, and a pen point is a little bit too long for the longest dividers. Another pen point and pencil point fit the shortest pair of dividers. A 2-3/4" drawing pen has a very short cylindrical handle. Three empty slots suggest that some of the original instruments in the set are missing. One slot is round for a ceramic cup; compare to 1990.0115.01.
The set was found in the Museum collections in 1979 with objects that suggest an association with Cleveland Abbe (1838–1916), an American engineer, astronomer, and meteorologist who worked for the U.S. Weather Service from 1871 until shortly before his death.
Reference: accession file.
date made
19th century
ID Number
1979.0876.01
catalog number
1979.0876.01
accession number
1979.0876

Keuffel & Esser 1621P Architects' Triangular Scale

This 12-inch triangular boxwood rule has indentations along each side, and the sides are faced with white celluloid. On one side, one edge has a scale divided to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 0 to 12. The other edge has scales for 3/32" and 3/16" to the foot.
Description
This 12-inch triangular boxwood rule has indentations along each side, and the sides are faced with white celluloid. On one side, one edge has a scale divided to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 0 to 12. The other edge has scales for 3/32" and 3/16" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 3/32", numbered from left to right by fours from 0 to 124, and numbered from right to left by twos from 0 to 62. This side is marked: 1621P KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. N.Y. PARAGON.
One edge of the second side has scales for 1" and 1/2" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1/2", numbered from left to right by ones from 0 to 10 and from right to left by twos from 0 to 20. The other edge has scales fro 1/8" and 1/4" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1/8", numbered from left to right by fours from 0 to 92 and from right to left by twos from 0 to 46.
One edge of the third side has scales for 3/4" and 3/8" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 3/8", numbered from left to right by ones from 0 to 14 and from right to left by twos from 0 to 28. The other edge has scales for 1-1/2" and 3" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1-1/2", numbered from left to right by twos from 0 to 4 and from right to left by ones from 0 to 2. This side is marked: RHW.
A triangular green cardboard box has masking tape at both ends. A red and green paper label is marked: K + E PARAGON (/) ARCHITECTS' TRIANGULAR SCALE (/) 1621P 12 IN. (/) MADE IN U.S.A. TM'S REG. U.S. PAT. OFF.
Keuffel & Esser began to offer model 1621P between 1901 and 1909, when it cost $2.50. The firm introduced the logo shown on the box in 1943. In 1944, this instrument sold for $7.50. The company changed its model numbers in 1962. According to the donor, the instrument was used by her husband, the electrical engineer Robert H. Wieler (1923–1993).
References: Catalogue and Price List of Keuffel & Esser Co., 33rd ed. (New York, 1909), 190; Catalogue and Price List of Keuffel & Esser Co., 40th ed. (New York, 1944), 138.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1943–1962
maker
Keuffel & Esser Co.
ID Number
1998.0032.04
catalog number
1998.0032.04
accession number
1998.0032

Rectangular Protractor Sold by McAllister & Co.

This ivory rectangular protractor is three times larger in area than many surviving ivory rectangular protractors from the nineteenth century, which tend to be short and narrow enough to fit in a pocket.
Description
This ivory rectangular protractor is three times larger in area than many surviving ivory rectangular protractors from the nineteenth century, which tend to be short and narrow enough to fit in a pocket. (See MA.335349, MA.321754, and MA.321014.) Catalogs of the time period advertise foot-long rectangular protractors comparable to this one, but at approximately $12 each, they were 3 to 8 times as expensive as 6-inch versions. Thus, surveyors probably did not purchase and use the large protractors as often.
This protractor is graduated to half-degrees and marked by tens from 10 to 170 in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions. The interior of the protractor contains a maker's mark: LONDON MADE. FOR MCALLISTER & CO. PHILADELPHIA. The front of the protractor also contains a diagonal scale; a scale of chords which is divided by half-degrees and marked by tens from 10 to 90; and scales for dividing 1 inch into 10, 20, and 30 parts. These scales were used to create drawings in which 1 inch represented 1, 2, and 3 feet, respectively.
A chain scale is on the bottom edge of the protractor, facing outwards (i.e., appearing upside-down as one looks at the front of the protractor). The scale is graduated to half-units and marked by ones from 1 to 44 and from 44 to 1. The numbers from 44 to 1 are called an "offset." Ten units on the scale total 1/4" in length. A surveyor's chain was 66 feet long and contained 100 links. Thus, this chain scale represented 4 links to each inch. The number 40 (described as a "line of 40" or a "scale of 40" in trade catalogs) is marked at the midpoint of the protractor, in between the chain scale and the scale dividing 1 inch into 30 parts. The markings are worn off the protractor in a few places.
The back of the protractor bears scales for dividing the inch into 80, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, and 30 parts. There are also scales for 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 7/8, and 1 inch to the foot. The protractor is stored in a black and red leather and cardboard case that is badly worn.
William Young McAllister (1812–1896) was a third-generation optician and dealer of mathematical instruments in Philadelphia. His firm was known as McAllister & Co. between 1836 and 1853. From 1830 to 1836, he partnered with his father, John McAllister Jr., and between 1853 and 1865 he partnered with his brother, Thomas, who subsequently worked as an optician in New York City. This protractor is slightly different from the 12-inch ivory protractor described in McAllister's 1867 catalog: this object is 1/4" wider; there are eleven scales of equal parts instead of ten; there are eight scales of feet and inches instead of twelve; there is one scale of chords instead of two; and there is a chain scale. John C. Armstrong of Washington, D.C., donated the protractor to the Smithsonian in 1933.
References: William Ford Stanley, Mathematical Drawing and Measuring Instruments 6th ed. (London: E. & F. N. Spon, 1888), 227–230; Catalogue of Keuffel & Esser, 33rd ed. (New York, 1909), 176; "McAllister Family Business Timeline," The John A. McAllister Collection, Library Company of Philadelphia, http://www.librarycompany.org/mcallister/pdf/McAllister%20family%20business%20timeline.pdf; A Priced and Illustrated Catalogue of Mathematical Instruments . . . Sold Wholesale and Retail by William Y. McAllister (Philadelphia, 1867), 25; Peggy A. Kidwell, "James Prentice's Rectangular Protractor," Rittenhouse 1, no. 3 (1987): 61–63.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1836-1853
maker
McAllister, William Young
ID Number
MA.310743
accession number
127352
catalog number
310743

Patent Model for Triangular Drafting Scale Invented by Josiah Lyman

Both edges of one side of this German silver triangular rule have scales divided to 1/40" and numbered by twos from 3 [sic] to 24 and by ones from 1 to 6. This side is marked: In. 40. U.S. STD.
Description
Both edges of one side of this German silver triangular rule have scales divided to 1/40" and numbered by twos from 3 [sic] to 24 and by ones from 1 to 6. This side is marked: In. 40. U.S. STD. It is also marked: Josiah Lyman, Lenox, Mass.
Both edges of the second side have scales divided to 1/24" and numbered by ones from 1 to 12 and from 1 to 6. This side is marked: In. 24. U.S. STD. Both edges of the third side have scales divided to 1/20" and numbered by ones from 1 to 10 and from 1 to 5. This side is marked: Ft. 200. U.S. STD.
One end has a micrometer screw. According to the patent, there should be three interchangeable micrometer circles, but only one is present. The other end is supposed to have a thumb-nut, but the tube that would hold it is broken. Three large holes are in the center of each side. Three pinholes are in each end.
Among other inventions, Josiah Lyman (1811–1889) patented a protracting trigonometer (U.S. Patent 20,356 issued May 25, 1858). See MA.328738. This triangular rule was supposed to have a brass spring attachment that would hook into the pin holes at each end of the rule and then around the trigonometer, making the rule a sliding scale for the trigonometer. Lyman argued that placing a weight on the arm of wire stretching across the trigonometer would make the sliding scale mathematically reliable. He claimed that the micrometer scale, together with the protracting trigonometer, could measure off the twelve-thousandth part of a line 12 inches long.
References: Josiah Lyman, "Improvement in Drafting Scales" (U.S. Patent 38,904 issued June 16, 1863); Peggy A. Kidwell, "Josiah Lyman's Protracting Trigonometer," Rittenhouse 3 (1988): 11–14.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1863
maker
Lyman, Josiah
ID Number
MA.308918
accession number
89797
catalog number
308918

La Filotecnica Rolling Parallel Rule

This ten-inch German silver instrument has two rollers connected by a shaft. Both ends have knobs to hold while rolling the parallel rule. Both long edges have centimeter scales, divided to millimeters and numbered by ones from 0 to 24.
Description
This ten-inch German silver instrument has two rollers connected by a shaft. Both ends have knobs to hold while rolling the parallel rule. Both long edges have centimeter scales, divided to millimeters and numbered by ones from 0 to 24. The instrument is marked: "LA FILOTECNICA" MILANO. A wooden case is lined with dark blue velvet and has ornate brass clasps. The bottom of the case is marked in red pencil: S_301 £ £ £.
Ignasio Porro (1801–1875) established La Filotecnica in Milan in 1865 to train students to make optical and mathematical instruments. Between 1870 and 1877, one of his apprentices, Angelo Salmoiraghi (1848–1939), purchased the firm and put more emphasis on manufacturing. By 1906 the company was renamed Filotecnica Salmoiraghi.
References: Paolo Brenni, "Italian Scientific Instrument Makers of the Nineteenth Century and Their Instruments," in Nineteenth-Century Instruments and Their Makers, ed. P. R. de Clercq (Amsterdam: Rodopi B.V., 1985), 196–198; Bill Morris, "A Fine Sextant by Filotecnica Salmoiraghi of Milan," October 5, 2010, The Nautical Sextant, http://sextantbook.com/2010/10/05/a-fine-sextant-by-filotecnica-salmoirhagi-of-milan/.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1870
maker
Officina Filotecnica
ID Number
1986.0316.04
catalog number
1986.0316.04
accession number
1986.0316

Keuffel & Esser 1419W Chain Scale

The front of this white and green plastic rule with beveled edges has a scale divided to 1/10" and numbered by ones from 0 to 6 along its top edge. The bottom edge has a scale for 1/4" to the foot, divided to 1/40" and numbered by twos from 0 to 24.
Description
The front of this white and green plastic rule with beveled edges has a scale divided to 1/10" and numbered by ones from 0 to 6 along its top edge. The bottom edge has a scale for 1/4" to the foot, divided to 1/40" and numbered by twos from 0 to 24. The rule is marked: K+E 1419W KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. The back has scales for 3/8" to the foot, divided to 1/50" and numbered by twos from 0 to 30, and for 5/16" to the foot, divided to 1/30" and numbered by twos from 0 to 18. A brown leather sheath holds the rule. Compare to 1981.0933.14 and 1998.0032.09.
Keuffel & Esser began offering model 1419 in plastic in 1949. At $1.80, the instrument represented a significant savings over the $4.20 price for the boxwood version of model 1419. The trade-off was that the marks were not engine-divided. The firm changed its model numbers in 1962. According to the donor, the instrument was used by her husband, the electrical engineer Robert H. Wieler (1923–1993).
References: Catalogue of Keuffel & Esser Co., 41st ed. (New York, 1949), 153, 159; Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Andrew Alpern Collection of Drawing Instruments (Columbia University, 2007), 105, http://www.columbiauniversity.org/cu/lweb/img/assets/8897/alpern.pdf; accession file.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949–1962
maker
Keuffel & Esser Co.
ID Number
1998.0032.08
catalog number
1998.0032.08
accession number
1998.0032

Set of Drawing Instruments

This large wooden case is lined with yellow silk and velvet. The inside of the case is marked: R. H. HRONIK.
Description
This large wooden case is lined with yellow silk and velvet. The inside of the case is marked: R. H. HRONIK. A wooden tray lifts out and holds:
1) 8-1/8" German silver and steel proportional dividers, marked for lines from 1/10 to 11/12 and for circles from 7 to 20.
2) 5-1/4" German silver dotting pen with clear plastic handle.
3) 5-1/4" German silver and steel drawing pen with black plastic handle. The tightening screw is marked: POST'S (/) GERMANY. The Frederick Post Company of Chicago began importing and distributing drawing instruments and slide rules in 1890.
4) 4" German silver and steel dividers with removable points and needle and pencil point attachments.
5) Four pencil leads, ranging from 1-1/2" to 4-1/4". The longest is marked: L. & C. HARDTMUTH, Inc. KOH-I-NOOR 3H. Joseph Hardtmuth began making earthenware in Vienna, Austria, in 1790 and expanded into graphite leads in 1802. The firm moved to České Budějovice, now in the Czech Republic, in 1848 and concentrated exclusively on pencils from 1870. It remains in business as of 2013 as Koh-i-Noor Hardtmuth.
6) 6-1/4" German silver and steel dividers with removable points and extension bar, dotting point, pencil point, needle point, and pen point attachments.
7) 7-1/4"metal trammel bar for a beam compass, with two 7" extensions, divider point, pen point, two pencil points, and screw-on needle point.
8) Key with metal tag engraved on one side: R. H. HRONIK. The other side is engraved: DRAFTING SET.
9) 3" ivory, German silver, and steel bow compass missing both needle points.
10) 5-1/4" German silver and steel tripod fixed-leg dividers.
11) 1-1/2" cylindrical metal case with five pieces of pencil leads and 1-3/8" cylindrical metal case with six pencil leads.
12) 1-3/8" loose steel needle point.
Empty spaces in the tray indicate that at least the following items are missing from the set: 5" dividers, 3-1/2" bow pencil, 3-1/2" bow pen, trammel point, 5" drawing pen, and 4" ruling pen. Additionally, the two pens in the tray are shorter than their slots and so likely are replacements. A piece of paper in the bottom tray has a handwritten note in ink that was probably prepared by Smithsonian staff: R. H. HRONIK (/) part of same (/) accession (/) late 1890's (/) not later than 1902.
The donor, Richard H. Hronik (1911–2003), was born in St. Louis to Joseph J. (1888–1972) and Gladys Hronik. He grew up in Cedar Rapids, Ia., and graduated from Iowa State College in 1934, where he belonged to the Alpha Mu chapter of Theta Chi fraternity. He was a major in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1946. He held a number of patents in transportation engineering and did design work relating to railroad systems built for the Indian government. By 1962, he worked for Melpar, Inc., located in Falls Church, Va., as a materials science engineer. He gave at least 129 pieces of electronics equipment; drafting, woodworking, and machine tools; and calculating machines to the Smithsonian in at least three separate accessions.
The set may have been owned by Hronik's grandfather, Frank Hronik (1860–about 1939), who was born in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), moved to Cedar Rapids in 1884, and by 1900 was a railroad machinist for the Burlington, Cedar Rapids, and Northern Railway, which was succeeded by the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railway in 1903. In 1887 he married Mary Hronik, who was born in Bohemia in 1864 and brought to this country by her parents in 1867.
Reference: Koh-i-noor Hardtmuth, "History," http://www.koh-i-noor.cz/en/history.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MA.326146
accession number
257457
catalog number
326146

Set of Drawing Instruments Sold by Sears Roebuck

This unpolished wood and cardboard case is wrapped in packaging tape added by the donor for transporting the instruments. The set includes:1) 5-1/4" and 4-1/4" steel drawing pens. The tightening screws on the spring blades are marked: SEARS ROEBUCK GERMANY.2) 6" steel dividers.
Description
This unpolished wood and cardboard case is wrapped in packaging tape added by the donor for transporting the instruments. The set includes:
1) 5-1/4" and 4-1/4" steel drawing pens. The tightening screws on the spring blades are marked: SEARS ROEBUCK GERMANY.
2) 6" steel dividers. A pin in one leg latches to the other leg. The hinge is marked: SEARS ROEBUCK GERMANY.
3) 6" steel compass with one jointed leg and removable pencil point, pen point, and jointed lengthening bar. All parts except the pencil point are marked: SEARS ROEBUCK GERMANY. The lengthening bar is also marked: HAB. A divider point is apparently missing.
4) 3" metal handle. The remainder of this instrument, which had a point, is apparently missing.
5) 2" and 1-1/4" cylindrical metal cases. The larger has one graphite lead, one needle point, and two tops for screws. The smaller holds 5 graphite leads.
6) 3-3/4" bow dividers, bow pen, and bow pencil.
The donor (b. 1949) reported that his great-grandfather, Henry Arthur Botkin, owned this set. Botkin lived in Missouri and East Texas before the instruments were damaged in a 1903 family house fire. The case may thus be a later replacement and possibly is handmade.
The date of the instruments is uncertain. After advertising only watches and jewelry from 1888 to 1893, Sears Roebuck began issuing a general catalog in 1894. These objects do not resemble any of the drawing instruments advertised in the Spring 1896 (pp. 467–468), Fall 1897 (pp. 369–370), Fall 1899 (pp. 175–177), or Spring 1905 (pp. 370–371) Sears Roebuck catalogs. The bow pen, pencil, and dividers appear to have first been advertised in Spring 1911 (p. 746). This style of drawing compasses and pens still was not depicted by Spring 1914 (p. 792), when the outbreak of World War I interrupted the import of drawing instruments made in Germany. In Fall 1920 (p. 1200), Sears Roebuck offered a set of instruments like these (with only one lead case and no handle) from Keuffel & Esser's Pilot brand for $15.35. However, when European imports resumed in Spring 1921 (p. 602), none of the instruments advertised resembled these. By Spring 1925 (p. 507), Sears Roebuck sold Schoenner instruments.
Reference: "History of the Sears Catalog," http://www.searsarchives.com/catalogs/history.htm.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 20th century
distributor
Sears, Roebuck and Co.
ID Number
1978.0226.01
catalog number
336490
accession number
1978.0226

Dietzgen Wallet Case of Drawing Instruments

This folding cardboard and wood case is covered with black morocco leather and lined with green velvet. The snap for the case is marked: CHICAGO (/) NEW YORK.
Description
This folding cardboard and wood case is covered with black morocco leather and lined with green velvet. The snap for the case is marked: CHICAGO (/) NEW YORK. Between the words is the trademark for the Eugene Dietzgen Company, superimposed letters E and D surrounded by the letters Co. Inside the top flap is marked: EUGENE DIETZGEN CO. (/) CHICAGO—NEW YORK (/) SAN FRANCISCO. NEW ORLEANS. The set includes:
1) 6-1/2" German silver proportional dividers. One leg is marked for lines, and the other is marked for circles. Characters such as a double-barred T are engraved inside both legs.
2) 6-1/4" German silver and steel dividers with removable needle, pencil, and pen points and extension bar.
3) 1-1/2" cylindrical metal case for leads, with three leads and two needle points.
4) 2-3/8" German silver and steel screwdriver. Its storage compartment is empty.
5) 2-3/4" German silver handle.
6) 5-1/2" aluminum and steel drawing pen.
The joint tightener may be missing, but the set appears to otherwise be intact and original. No sets containing proportional dividers were found in Dietzgen catalogs issued between 1902 and 1954, so it is likely that this set was special ordered by an individual or school. This style of case was sold between 1902 and 1931, which is consistent with the dates of other objects received from this donor.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 20th century
maker
Eugene Dietzgen Company
ID Number
MA.325683
accession number
257193
catalog number
325683

Schoenner Set of Drawing Instruments Sold by E. L. Washburn & Co.

This wooden case is covered with black leather and lined with blue satin and velvet. The case has a steel locking pin. The bottom of the case has a red and white sticker marked: PRE-1960 (/) PROPERTY OF (/) Edward A. Chapin. (/) SMITHSONIAN (/) ENTOMOLOGY.
Description
This wooden case is covered with black leather and lined with blue satin and velvet. The case has a steel locking pin. The bottom of the case has a red and white sticker marked: PRE-1960 (/) PROPERTY OF (/) Edward A. Chapin. (/) SMITHSONIAN (/) ENTOMOLOGY. The inside of the lid is marked: E. L. Washburn & Co (/) New Haven, Conn. The set includes:
1) 6" German silver compass with bendable legs and removable pencil point, pen point, and lengthening bar. On one side, the joint is marked: D.R.P. On the other side, the joint has the Schoenner logo: an S, a G, and two intersecting arrows with two heads superimposed on each other. Inside one leg is marked: SCHOENNER GERMANY.
2) 5-3/4" German silver fixed-leg dividers. On one side, the joint is marked: D.R.P. On the other side, the joint has the Schoenner logo: an S, G, and two intersecting arrows with two heads superimposed on each other. Inside one leg is marked: SCHOENNER GERMANY.
3) 3-3/8" German silver bow dividers, bow pen, and bow pencil.
4) 4" and 5-1/8" ebony, German silver, and steel drawing pens.
5) 1-1/4" cylindrical metal case with four pencil leads. Two additional leads and a 1/2" round brass weight are loose in the case.
6) 1" metal joint tightener.
Besides the extra leads and weight, the set appears to be intact. For other sets manufactured in part or whole by Schoenner, a German firm that operated between 1851 and World War II, see 1977.0279.01, 1977.1101.0097, 1979.0868.01, 1989.0305.05, 1990.0350.01, and 317925.04. E. L. Washburn, a medical doctor, began to make and sell surgical instruments and supplies in New Haven, Conn., in 1866. He had partners until 1876, when he became sole proprietor and named the business after himself. By 1899, he also sold mathematical instruments. The firm was still operating in 1938.
Edward Albert Chapin (1894–1969), curator of entomology at the National Museum of Natural History, owned these instruments. He completed undergraduate work at Yale in 1916 and then moved away from Connecticut, so it is likely he purchased the instruments during his studies. He worked for the Smithsonian from 1934 to 1954 and left the set behind when he retired. U.S. Department of Agriculture scientist Richard White may then have used the instruments.
References: Leading Business Men of New Haven County (Boston: Mercantile Publishing Company, 1887), 134; New Haven Directory (New Haven: Price & Lee Co., 1899), 734; Smithsonian Institution Archives Acc. 11-085, "Chapin, Edward Albert 1894–, Edward Albert Chapin Field Notebooks, 1937–1947," http://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_298428; accession file.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1915
distributor
E. L. Washburn & Co.
maker
Schoenner, Georg
ID Number
1996.0295.01
catalog number
1996.0295.01
accession number
1996.0295

Open Divided Scale

This 6" boxwood pocket ruler has a white celluloid coating along both long edges on both sides. On one side, the top edge has scales for 1-1/2" and 3" to the foot. The bottom edge has scales for 3/8" and 3/4" to the foot.
Description
This 6" boxwood pocket ruler has a white celluloid coating along both long edges on both sides. On one side, the top edge has scales for 1-1/2" and 3" to the foot. The bottom edge has scales for 3/8" and 3/4" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to centimeters, numbered from left to right by twos from 2 to 12, and numbered from right to left by ones from 1 to 6. The middle of this side is marked: U.S. ST'D. It is also marked: P. M. LARSEN.
The top edge of the other side has scales for 1/2" and 1" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1/2", numbered from left to right by twos from 2 to 8, and numbered from right to left by ones from 1 to 4. The bottom edge has scales for 1/8" and 1/4" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1/8", numbered from left to right by fours from 4 to 44, and numbered from right to left by twos from 0 to 22. The middle of this side is marked: P. M. LARSEN.
Draftsmen used these scales to make construction drawings. Keuffel & Esser sold a similar scale as model 1399P from 1913 to at least 1936. The price in 1913 was $1.35. This object was probably made about the same time as 1981.0933.14, in the 1910s.
William J. Ellenberger (1908–2008) donated this object, which he presumably acquired secondhand from P. M. Larsen. Ellenberger studied electrical and mechanical engineering at The George Washington University between 1925 and 1934. He then worked for the Potomac Electric Power Company and the National Bureau of Standards. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He was a civilian construction management engineer for the army from 1954 to 1968, when he became a private consultant.
References: Catalogue of Keuffel & Esser Co., 34th ed. (New York, 1913), 178; Catalogue of Keuffel & Esser Co., 36th ed. (New York, 1921), 123; Catalogue of Keuffel & Esser Co., 38th ed. (New York, 1936), 212; "The GW Engineering Hall of Fame 2006 Inductees," http://www.weas.gwu.edu/ifaf/hall_of_fame_inductees_2006.php.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1915
ID Number
1981.0933.15
accession number
1981.0933
catalog number
1981.0933.15

Pair of Keuffel & Esser 1375P-20 Chain Scales with Drafting Machine Mounts

These beveled boxwood rules are faced with white celluloid on the sloping edges. On both rules, one edge is divided to 1/32" and numbered by ones twice. The 18-3/4" rule is numbered from 0 to 36 and from 0 to 18, and the 12-3/4" rule is numbered from 0 to 24 and from 0 to 12.
Description
These beveled boxwood rules are faced with white celluloid on the sloping edges. On both rules, one edge is divided to 1/32" and numbered by ones twice. The 18-3/4" rule is numbered from 0 to 36 and from 0 to 18, and the 12-3/4" rule is numbered from 0 to 24 and from 0 to 12. The other edge is divided to 1/32" and numbered by ones. The longer rule is numbered from 0 to 72, and the shorter rule is numbered from 0 to 48. As marks on the rules indicate, the first scale is "half size" and "full size," for making drawings at proportions of 1/2" and 1" to the foot. The other scale is "quarter size," for making drawings at proportions of 1/4" to the foot.
The rules are marked: PARAGON 1375P-20 K+E KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. Both ends of both rules have irregularly-shaped aluminum mounts that may be screwed to a drafting machine. A green cardboard box for the shorter rule is marked at one end: K+E PARAGON (/) DRAFT. MACH. SCALE (/) 1375P-20 12 IN. (/) MADE IN U.S.A. TRADE MARKS ®.
Keuffel & Esser was selling drafting machine scales in various configurations by 1936. The firm introduced model 1375P-20 sometime between 1943 and 1954. According to the donor, the instrument was used by her husband, the electrical engineer Robert H. Wieler (1923–1993).
References: Catalogue and Price List of Keuffel & Esser Co., 38th ed. (New York, 1936), 206–207; Catalogue and Price List of Keuffel & Esser Co., 42nd ed. (New York, 1954), 176.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
maker
Keuffel & Esser Co.
ID Number
1998.0032.14
catalog number
1998.0032.14
accession number
1998.0032

Open Divided Scale Advertising Dexter Brothers

This tan plastic scale rule is marked with faux wood grain and has been broken into two pieces. The top edge has scales for 1/2" and 1" to the foot.
Description
This tan plastic scale rule is marked with faux wood grain and has been broken into two pieces. The top edge has scales for 1/2" and 1" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1/2", numbered from left to right by ones from 1 to 20, and numbered from right to left by ones from 1 to 10. The bottom edge has scales for 1/8" and 1/4" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1/8", numbered from left to right by twos from 1 to 92, and numbered from right to left by ones from 1 to 20 and then by twos from 20 to 46.
The center of the rule is marked: Use Dexter Brothers' English Shingle Stains. It is also marked: Copyrighted by (/) DEXTER BROS., (/) BOSTON, MASS. According to the Boston Directory of 1869, 1880, and 1900, Dexter Brothers was founded by Charles W., Frank K., Wallace D., and George B. Dexter. The firm manufactured paints, oils, and drugs on Broad Street in Boston. It remained in business at least as late as 1919. The donor, David Shayt, was a National Museum of American History staff member.
For other open divided or chain scales, see 1981.0933.14, 1981.0933.15, 1992.0433.04, 1998.0032.08, and 1998.0032.09.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1869–1919
maker
Dexter Brothers
ID Number
1983.0237.01
accession number
1983.0237
catalog number
1983.0237.01

Dietzgen Commander Wallet Case of Drawing Instruments

This folding cardboard and wood case is covered with black leather and lined with blue velvet. The inside of the top flap is marked: DIETZGEN (/) COMMANDER (/) TRADE MARK (/) MADE IN U.S.A.
Description
This folding cardboard and wood case is covered with black leather and lined with blue velvet. The inside of the top flap is marked: DIETZGEN (/) COMMANDER (/) TRADE MARK (/) MADE IN U.S.A. The front flap folds open to reveal a leather pocket that held the following instruments (now stored separately):
1) 4" clear plastic semicircular protractor divided to single degrees and marked in both directions by tens from 10 to 170. The protractor is marked: DIETZGEN 1928.
2) 4" clear plastic semicircular protractor divided to single degrees and marked in both directions by tens from 10 to 170. The protractor is marked: NOBEMA, N. Y. C.
3) 8-1/2" clear plastic triangle marked: CARDINELL[E PROD]UCTS (/) PROPERTY AIR . . . MY.
4) 5-1/2" clear plastic triangle marked: DIETZGEN (/) EXCELLO (/) 2017A-4. The Dietzgen trademark is left of the mark, and a drawing of two right triangles on either side of an inverted T is right of the mark.
5) 6-1/4" clear plastic rectangular template with pictures of chemistry equipment. This object is cataloged separately as 1991.0811.02. It is almost certainly newer than the rest of the set.
The main compartment contains:
6) 5-3/4" German silver fixed-leg dividers. One leg is marked: DIETZGEN MADE IN U.S.A.
7) 6-1/4" German silver compass with removable pencil, pen, and needle points and extension bar. One leg is marked: DIETZGEN MADE IN U.S.A.
8) 4-3/4" German silver and steel curve pen. The adjusting screw is marked: DIETZGEN (/) U. S. A.
9) 5/8" German silver and glass center tack.
10) 5" steel and German silver railroad pen with chunky brown wooden handle. The handle is marked: PAT. PEND.
11) 2-3/4" metal handle.
12) 4-1/2", 5", and 5-3/8" steel and German silver drawing pens with chunky brown wooden handles. The tightening screw on each pen is marked: DIETZGEN (/) U. S. A.
13) 2-3/8" steel screwdriver. Its storage compartment is empty.
14) 1-1/2" cylindrical metal case for leads, also empty.
15) 4-1/4" German silver bow dividers, bow pencil, and bow pen. The side of one leg of each instrument is marked: DIETZGEN (/) MADE IN U. S. A. The legs are also marked: PAT. 2065472 (/) PAT. PENDING.
These instruments are heavily tarnished, probably from off–gassing by the plastic instruments. Adolph Langsner and William H. Lerch, both of Chicago, received patent number 2,065,472 for an improvement to the mounting used to secure the needle in bow instruments. They subsequently assigned the patent to the Eugene Dietzgen Company of Chicago.
Dietzgen introduced the American-made Commander line of drawing instruments between 1938 and 1942, when the preferred German-made instruments were unavailable due to World War II. Sets of Commander instruments were sold at least as late as 1954. However, this particular set was not found in Dietzgen catalogs. The company applied for the Excello trademark in 1945. NOBEMA was a German firm with an office in New York. No information was found on Cardinelle.
The donor reported that his uncle, Joseph Morrison, a master rigger at the Boston Naval Yard, received the set secondhand from a retired naval architect who may have used it during repairs to the U.S.S. Constitution between 1949 and 1954. Morrison procured the set for his brother, Edward Bradley Morrison, a World War II veteran who was studying interior design and drafting under the G.I. Bill.
References: Adolph Langsner and William H. Lerch, "Pin Mounting" (U.S. Patent 2,065,472 issued December 22, 1936); Catalog of Eugene Dietzgen Co., 15th ed. (Chicago, 1938); Eugene Dietzgen Company, Essential Drawing Instruments and Materials, cat. No. 42A (Chicago, 1942), 22–25; Catalog of Eugene Dietzgen Co., 16th ed. (Chicago, 1949), 116–119; Dietzgen School Catalog (Chicago, 1953–1954), 4–5.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1940s
maker
Eugene Dietzgen Company
ID Number
1991.0811.01
catalog number
1991.0811.01
accession number
1991.0811

Triangular Scale Signed W. Metcalf

On one face this 12" steel triangular rule has scales for 3/16" and 3/8" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 3/32", numbered from left to right by twos from 0 to 62, and numbered from right to left by fours from 4 to [1]24.
Description
On one face this 12" steel triangular rule has scales for 3/16" and 3/8" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 3/32", numbered from left to right by twos from 0 to 62, and numbered from right to left by fours from 4 to [1]24. The second face has a scale of inches numbered by ones from 1 to 12. The first two inches are divided to 1/128"; the next two inches are divided to 1/64"; inches 4–6 are divided to 1/32"; inches 6–8 are divided to 1/16"; and inches 8–12 are divided to 1/8".
The third face also has a scale of inches numbered by ones from 1 to 12. The first two inches are divided to 1/100"; the next two inches are divided to 1/50"; inches 4–6 are divided to 1/20"; inches 6–8 are divided to 1/96"; inches 8–10 are divided to 1/48"; and inches 10–12 are divided to 1/24". This side is marked: W. Metcalf 1882.
Sisters Elizabeth Henshaw Metcalf (1852–1925) and Sarah Spathding Metcalf (1858–1939) donated this rule to the Smithsonian in 1931, within several containers of materials sent from the family home in Worcester, Mass. The bulk of the materials were ethnographic specimens collected by the women as they visited and lived in the Philippines at various times between 1905 and their deaths. The name on the rule probably refers to their brother, Wallace Metcalf (1854–1904). He graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1873, lived with his sisters for many years, and worked in Worcester as a civil engineer.
References: Cherubim A. Quizon, "Two Yankee Women at the St. Louis Fair: The Metcalf Sisters and their Bagobo Sojourn in Mindanao," Philippine Studies 52, no. 4 (2004): 527–555; "Alumni Notes," The Journal of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute 7, no. 4 (May 1904): 355; accession file.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1882
owner
Metcalf, W.
ID Number
MA.362778
accession number
114868
catalog number
362778

Compass Precision Instruments Wallet Case of Drawing Instruments

This folding cardboard and wood case is covered with black leather and lined with green velvet. It closes with two metal snaps and is marked in the upper right corner: 2300. The back of the case is marked: Made in Germany.
Description
This folding cardboard and wood case is covered with black leather and lined with green velvet. It closes with two metal snaps and is marked in the upper right corner: 2300. The back of the case is marked: Made in Germany. The set includes:
1) 5-7/8" German silver and steel drawing pen with folding point.
2) 5-1/2" and 4-5/8" black plastic and steel drawing pens. The backs of the points are marked: COMPASS (/) GERMANY.
3) 2-3/4" German silver and steel screwdriver.
4) 6-1/4" German silver and steel dividers with removable point and extension bar. The side of one leg is marked: COMPASS (/) GERMANY.
5) 6-1/4" German silver compass with pencil point and bendable legs. The side of one leg is marked: COMPASS (/) GERMANY.
6) 3-3/4" steel bow pencil, bow dividers, and bow pen. Each instrument is marked on the side: COMPASS (/) GERMANY.
7) 1-3/4" and 1-5/16" cylindrical metal cases. The larger case holds two needle points and two tightening screws. The smaller case holds a needle point and pencil lead.
The set appears to be original and complete. Compass Precision Instruments operated in Germany around the middle of the 20th century.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
mid 20th century
maker
Compass Precision Drawing Instruments
ID Number
1989.0305.04
catalog number
1989.0305.04
accession number
1989.0305

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