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: Drawing Instruments

Set Square Signed Desnos

This 4-1/2" brass rule unfolds to form a set square. The outer edge of one leg has a scale for German inches (roughly 31/32 English inches), numbered by ones from 4 to 1. The first unit is divided into twelfths and numbered by threes from 3 to 12.
Description
This 4-1/2" brass rule unfolds to form a set square. The outer edge of one leg has a scale for German inches (roughly 31/32 English inches), numbered by ones from 4 to 1. The first unit is divided into twelfths and numbered by threes from 3 to 12. The scale is marked: Pouces du Rhin [inches of the Rhine]. The inner edge of this leg has a scale numbered by tens from 10 to 50. The 5 point is also marked. The scale is marked: Eschelle [scale].
The outer edge of the other leg has a scale for French inches (roughly 1-1/16 English inches), numbered by ones from 1 to 4. The first unit is divided into twelfths and numbered by threes from 3 to 12. The scale is marked: pouces de Roy [inches of the French king]. The inner edge of this leg has a scale numbered by tens from 10 to 60. The 5 point is also indicated. This leg has a pinhole for hanging a plumb line and a rectangular hole with a rounded end (approximately 25/32" long) for viewing the plumb bob. This leg is also marked: Desnos AParis. Compare to 1985.0580.02, 1985.0580.03, MA.316929, and MA.316914.
Louis-Charles Desnos was a cartographer and globemaker in France from about 1753 to 1782. Another plumb rule by Desnos is shown at http://teodolite.it/desnos.htm.
Reference: Adler Planetarium, Webster Signature Database, http://historydb.adlerplanetarium.org/signatures/.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1753-1782
maker
Desnos, Louis-Charles
ID Number
MA.317362
accession number
230278
catalog number
317362

Blackboard Railroad Curve

The edge of this flat wooden blackboard curve appears to be an arc of a circle with a radius of about eleven inches.
Description
The edge of this flat wooden blackboard curve appears to be an arc of a circle with a radius of about eleven inches. The object resembles a railroad curve but has a handle at the center and chalk marks.
A chalk mark on the back reads: 4.
Received from the Department of Mathematics at Brown University in 1973.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MA.304722.12
accession number
1973304722
catalog number
304722.12

E. O. Richter & Co. Wallet Case of Drawing Instruments

This folding wood and cardboard case is covered with black leather and lined with teal velvet. The back of the case is marked: MADE IN GERMANY. The snaps fastening the case are marked with a ring of decorative letter Ps. The insides of the snaps are marked: C-PM-C (/) C-PM-C.
Description
This folding wood and cardboard case is covered with black leather and lined with teal velvet. The back of the case is marked: MADE IN GERMANY. The snaps fastening the case are marked with a ring of decorative letter Ps. The insides of the snaps are marked: C-PM-C (/) C-PM-C. The letters P and M are superimposed on each other. Inside the top flap is also marked with a backward E and superimposed R and O. This is the trademark for E. O. Richter, a German firm that made mathematical instruments from 1892 to the 1980s. The set includes:
1) 2-1/2" German silver and steel screwdriver containing a metal bar and a pen nib.
2) 3-1/8" German silver pen handle containing four needle points.
3) 6-1/4" steel dividers with removable needle, pencil, and pen points, and extension bar. The center hinge is marked: Richter, followed by the Richter trademark.
4) 5-5/8" steel fixed-leg dividers. The center hinge is marked: Richter, followed by the Richter trademark.
5) 5-1/8" steel and 4-7/8" wood, German silver, and steel drawing pens. The blades are marked: PAT. AUG 9, 92 (/) MAY 7, 95. The backs of the blades are marked: T. A. & SON. These marks indicate the pens were made by Theodore Alteneder & Sons of Philadelphia. The pens do not fit their slots in the case and may not be original to the set.
6) 4-1/4" steel bow dividers, bow pencil, and bow pen. The side of each instrument is marked: D.R.P. (Richter held German patents on several of its drawing instruments.) Below the mark is the Richter trademark.
The Smithsonian received this object in 1964. A date around 1930 would be consistent with other items received in the accession. The instruments are almost certainly newer than those in the similar set, 2007.0039.01.
References: D. M. Riches, "E. O. Richter," http://www.mathsinstruments.me.uk/page51.html; Ferdinand A. Alteneder, "Drawing Pen" (U.S. Patent 480,541 issued August 9, 1892) and (U.S. Patent 538,811 issued May 7, 1895).
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 20th century
maker
E. O. Richter & Co.
ID Number
MA.325684
accession number
257193
catalog number
325684

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

T-Square

This 19" wooden T-square has a curved top piece attached to the handle by two steel screws. The back of the top piece has a ridge for positioning against a table. A hole at the end of the handle is for hanging the instrument. It has no markings.
Description
This 19" wooden T-square has a curved top piece attached to the handle by two steel screws. The back of the top piece has a ridge for positioning against a table. A hole at the end of the handle is for hanging the instrument. It has no markings. The dating of other objects from this donor suggests this object was made about 1900. Compare to MA.328396 and MA.328398.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
ID Number
MA.328397
accession number
272517
catalog number
328397

Pocket Case of Drawing Instruments

This wooden pocket-sized case is covered with black sharkskin. Inside the lid is marked: Allen A. Jones.
Description
This wooden pocket-sized case is covered with black sharkskin. Inside the lid is marked: Allen A. Jones. The set includes: a 3-7/8" brass semicircular protractor; a 4-3/4" ivory sector with a brass hinge; a 4-1/2" ivory plotting scale; 5-1/4" brass and steel dividers with a removable leg and separate pen point and crayon holder (containing a lead pencil whittled down to fit the holder); a 5" brass and steel drawing pen; a 3-5/8" brass and steel drawing compass with pen point; and 4-1/2" brass and steel fixed-point dividers. All of the pieces may be original except for the pencil.
The protractor is divided to single degrees and numbered by tens in both directions from 10 to 170. The plotting scale has diagonal scales at both ends. Above the plotting scale are scales divided to 1/10" and numbered by ones from 1 to 4, and divided to 1/12" and numbered by tens from 10 to 30. The back of the plotting scale has scales dividing the inch into 55, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, and 20 parts and a line of chords.
One side of the sector has three double scales: sines, running from 10 to 80 degrees; tangents, running from 50 to 75 degrees; and a second tangent scale, running from 10 to 45 degrees. The outer edge of both legs has scales for logarithmic tangents, sines, and numbers. The top edge of the instrument has a scale divided to 1/12" and numbered by tens from 70 to 10.
The other side of the sector has a double scale along the fold line for regular polygons, from 12 to 6 sides. Both legs have scales of equal parts, running from 1 to 10 and labeled L; of secants, running from 40 to 75 and labeled S; and of chords, running from 10 to 60 and labeled C. The outer edge has a scale divided to 1/10" and numbered by ones from 9 to 1. Brass inserts protect points where users would frequently set divider points. The instrument is similar to sectors in the English style made in the mid-19th century. Compare to 1985.0580.06 and MA.333937.
Allen A. Jones, the husband of the donor, used this set in the U.S. Corps of Engineers during World War I and throughout his career as a civil engineer. He inherited the set from an uncle or great-uncle who the family believed had worked as a surveyor in the Chicago area prior to the 1833 founding of that city. The Smithsonian received the set in 1969.
Reference: accession file.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th century
ID Number
MA.333944
accession number
305772
catalog number
333944

Irregular Curve or French Curve

This flat wooden drawing instrument has curves on the outside and two inner openings. There are numerous scratch marks and stains.Currently not on view
Description
This flat wooden drawing instrument has curves on the outside and two inner openings. There are numerous scratch marks and stains.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
MA.328400
accession number
272517
catalog number
328400

Patent Model for Beam Compass Invented by Morton Toulmin

This metal, brass, and ivory U.S. patent model is mounted in a square wooden frame that is painted gold. The trammels are on a 3-1/4" beam that consists of two metal pins and one metal screw. One trammel has a needle point and an ivory handle.
Description
This metal, brass, and ivory U.S. patent model is mounted in a square wooden frame that is painted gold. The trammels are on a 3-1/4" beam that consists of two metal pins and one metal screw. One trammel has a needle point and an ivory handle. The other has an adjustable pen point. Nuts inside the trammels around the screw on the beam set the positions of the trammels. The instrument is supposed to draw lines, circles, concentric circles, and spirals.
Three paper tags are attached to the frame with a red ribbon. The first tag is marked: 1873 (/) M. Toulmin (/) Beam Drafting Compass (/) Received June 5 (/) Passed Aug 5./7. The second tag is marked: 142,823 (/) 3 (/) M. Toulmin (/) Beam Compasses (/) Patented SEP 16 1873 (/) Dividers 1873. A printed picture of the instrument and a summary of the patent application are pasted to the back of this tag. The third tag is marked: (2–225.) (/) No. 142,823. (/) M. Toulmin (/) Beam Compasses (/) Patented Sept. 16th (/) Dividers 1873. This model was found in the Smithsonian, probably during refurbishing of the textile exhibits between 1953 and 1964.
The patentee was probably Joshua Morton S. Toulmin (1823–1896), who was born in Alabama to English immigrants. He was a cotton broker in Mobile in the 1850s and then moved to New Orleans, where he received four patents between 1872 and 1874, including the 1873 patent for this object and "Improvement in Marine Camels" (no. 125,352, issued April 2, 1872). He then became a patent agent in Washington, D.C., and received several more patents himself between 1876 and 1887. He then moved to Baltimore, where he established the short-lived Toulmin Electric Railway Gate Company in 1886 and received more patents between 1887 and 1890, including "Pneumatic Street Car Propulsion" (no. 440,666, issued November 18, 1890). He held a total of about 15 patents for a variety of mechanical and mercantile devices, but this beam compass was apparently never manufactured commercially. Toulmin's son, Harry Aubrey Toulmin (1858–1942), was the highly successful attorney for the Wright Brothers of Dayton, Ohio.
References: Morton Toulmin, "Improvement in Beam Compasses" (U.S. Patent 142,823 issued September 16, 1873); "Descendants of Abraham Toulmin of Chard in Somerset," http://www.toulmin.family.btinternet.co.uk/DescendentsAbrahamChard.htm; U.S. Census Records for 1850 and 1880; The Baltimore Sun (May 26, 1886), 4.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1873
maker
Toulmin, Morton
ID Number
MA.315258
accession number
219305
catalog number
315258

Schoenner Flat Case of Drawing Instruments

This wooden case is covered with black leather and lined with blue satin and velvet. It has a steel locking pin. The case contains:1) 4-3/4" German silver and steel drop spring bow pen marked: E. O. RICHTER & Co (/) GERMANY.
Description
This wooden case is covered with black leather and lined with blue satin and velvet. It has a steel locking pin. The case contains:
1) 4-3/4" German silver and steel drop spring bow pen marked: E. O. RICHTER & Co (/) GERMANY. The firm's trademark with superimposed backwards E, R, and O is next to the mark.
2) 6-1/8" German silver drawing compass with bendable legs and removable needle point (the needle is missing), extension bar, and pen point. On one side, the center joint is marked: D.R.P. The other side has the Schoenner trademark of a circle superimposed on two intersecting, two-headed arrows. Inside one leg is marked: SCHOENNER, GERMANY.
3) 5-3/4" German silver and steel fixed-point dividers. On one side, the center joint is marked: D.R.P. The other side has the Schoenner trademark. Inside one leg is marked: SCHOENNER, GERMANY.
4) 4-3/4" German silver and steel dividers with removable divider points, pen point, and pencil point. On one side, the center joint is marked: D.R.P. The other side has the Schoenner trademark. Inside one leg is marked: SCHOENNER. Inside the other leg is marked: 14.
5) 3-1/2" German silver and steel bow dividers.
6) 5-1/8" ivory and steel railroad pen with tightening screws in both blades and the central shank. The handle is marked: KEUFFEL & ESSER Co. N.Y. (/) GERMANY.
7) 5-1/8" ivory, German silver, and steel drawing pen marked: PARAGON. It is also marked: GERMANY. Paragon was a brand of Keuffel & Esser.
8) 4-3/8" ebony, German silver, and steel drawing pen marked: POSTS (/) GERMANY.
The Schoenner instruments and bow dividers fit properly in their slots and thus are likely original to the set. Slots in the case suggest that a bow pen and pencil, case for pencil leads, joint tightener, small pen point, and proportional compass were part of the original set. For Schoenner company history, see 1989.0305.05.
Chauncey Brockway Schmeltzer (1894–1974) owned this set of drawing instruments. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in civil engineering from the University of Illinois in 1919 and 1920, and taught there until 1926. He also worked in private practice in Urbana, Ill., from 1921 to 1933. He then became an associate engineer appraiser for the Federal Land Bank of St. Louis until 1936. From 1936, he held the same title at the USDA's Bureau of Agricultural Engineering.
Reference: Winfield Scott Downs, ed., Who's Who in Engineering, 4th ed. (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1937), 1217.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1930
maker
Schoenner, Georg
ID Number
MA.317925.04
accession number
317925
catalog number
317925.04

Box of American Lead Pencil Co. Venus Pencils

This set of six short wood and graphite pencils is in a square white cardboard box with a gold-colored metal pencil holder. The holder is marked: VENUS PENCILS. Five of the pencils are marked: VENUS AMERICAN (/) PENCIL CO. N.Y.
Description
This set of six short wood and graphite pencils is in a square white cardboard box with a gold-colored metal pencil holder. The holder is marked: VENUS PENCILS. Five of the pencils are marked: VENUS AMERICAN (/) PENCIL CO. N.Y. They are also marked with the hardness of their leads: H, 3H, 4H, 5H, 8H. These correspond to a chart of lead hardnesses that is both on the top of the box and inside the box lid. The chart is also marked: "VENUS" PERFECT PENCILS: (/) Made in 17 Black and 2 Copying Degrees: (/) each degree guaranteed never to vary. (/) AMERICAN LEAD PENCIL CO. (/) London. New York.
The sixth pencil appears to be a later replacement. It is marked: VENUS COPYING AMERICAN (/) PENCIL CO. N.Y. 165. Empty space in the box suggests it originally held eight pencils, from H to 8H. The American Lead Pencil Company began operating in New York City around 1861. In 1956 it changed its name to Venus Pen and Pencil to reflect this popular brand of its products, which it started manufacturing in 1905. Faber-Castell USA purchased the firm in 1973.
The owner of these pencils, Mendel Lazear Peterson (1918–2003), earned degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi and Vanderbilt University. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1943 and served in the Pacific theater, where he developed an interest in underwater archaeology. He remained in the service after World War II. From 1958 to 1973, he was a Smithsonian curator in historic archaeology and armed forces history. He likely acquired the pencils during his military career.
References: Bob Truby, "American Lead Pencil Co.," http://www.brandnamepencils.com/brands/american/; Bart Barnes, "Smithsonian's Mendel Peterson Dies," Washington Post, August 28, 2003.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918-1939
maker
American Lead Pencil Company
ID Number
MA.330191
accession number
288888
catalog number
330191

Pocket Case of Drawing Instruments

This wooden pocket case is covered with black sharkskin and lined with yellow paper. The set of brass and steel instruments includes: two drawing pens; a small drawing compass with a pen point; and large dividers with pen point and pencil point attachments.Currently not on view
Description
This wooden pocket case is covered with black sharkskin and lined with yellow paper. The set of brass and steel instruments includes: two drawing pens; a small drawing compass with a pen point; and large dividers with pen point and pencil point attachments.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th century
maker
Keuffel & Esser Co.
ID Number
MA.333924
accession number
304215
catalog number
333924

Case of Mismatched Drawing Instruments

This polished wood case has a metal plate on the lid and is fastened with brass hooks (one is missing). The case is lined with burgundy silk and velvet.
Description
This polished wood case has a metal plate on the lid and is fastened with brass hooks (one is missing). The case is lined with burgundy silk and velvet. The case and instruments appear to have been assembled separately, because there are more instruments than slots in the case and the styles of the instruments do not match. The case contains:
1) 4-1/4" clear plastic protractor (held in a compartment inside the lid), divided to single degrees and numbered by tens in both directions from 0 to 180.
2) 6-1/4" brass folding square. The outer edge of one leg has a centimeter scale, numbered from 1 to 15, with the first centimeter divided to millimeters. This leg is marked: NLLE MESURE. The outer edge of the other leg has a scale divided to 1-1/16", numbered from 5 to 1, with the first unit divided into twelfths. This leg is marked: ANC MESURE. The scale thus represents a pre-metric French inch. A rectangular hole with a rounded end is cut out of this leg, and the leg has a pinhole for suspending a weight on a string. This instrument is the oldest in the case and probably dates to around 1800.
3) 12" section of a four-fold wooden rule with brass hinge and tip. One side is divided to 1/8" and numbered by ones from 23 to 13. The other side is divided to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 11 to 1. The other half of the rule is missing. Compare to 1990.0099.01 and MA.335275.
4) 4-1/4" German silver extension bar and 3" divider and pen points that do not fit the dividers in the case.
5) 1-18" brass tack that appears to hold ink.
6) 4-1/2" ivory and steel drawing pen with a brass adjusting screw.
7) 7/8" metal joint tightener.
8) 3-3/4" brass and steel dividers with removable divider and pencil points.
9) 4-7/8" German silver and steel fixed-point dividers.
10) 2-5/8" brass and steel pen point that does not fit the dividers in the case.
11) 2" brass pencil point that does not fit the dividers in the case.
12) 3-1/8" curved steel needle point in brass holder; its function is not known.
13) Extra brass adjusting screw, metal plate with one screw, and crudely cut metal circle marked: PEN.
The donors' family was prominent in the history of American science. John William Draper (1811–1882) was a chemist who also made innovations in photography. He had three sons: John C. Draper (1835–1885), who was a physician and chemist; Henry Draper (1837–1882), who was an astronomical photographer; and Daniel Draper (1841–1931), who established the New York Meteorological Observatory in Central Park in 1868 and directed it until 1911.
References: Maya Hambly, Drawing Instruments, 1580–1980 (London: Sotheby's Publications, 1988); Robert S. Harding and Jeffrey L. Tate, "Draper Family Collection, ca. 1826–1936," Archives Center, National Museum of American History, http://amhistory.si.edu/archives/d8121.htm.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1800-1920
ID Number
MA.335353
accession number
304826
catalog number
335353

Set of 7 Japanese Scale Rules Signed Fujishima

A rectangular paulownia wood case has a red and white sticker on the right end marked: 45 (/) M. Inside the case are seven bamboo rulers, six 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: 45 (/) M. Inside the case are seven bamboo rulers, six that are just over 12" (about 31 cm) long and one that is 2-1/4" (15.5 cm). The first rule is either ebonized or coated with blackboard paint. The front is marked in Japanese: Made by Kokoudo Fujishima. The scales along both edges are identical, divided to fifths of a unit and numbered by twos from 2 to 96. Each unit is 1/8" (3 mm), and the scales are both labeled: 1/8. The back of the rule is stamped: 7.
The second rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 4 500. The scales along both edges are identical, 30 cm long, divided to tenths of a unit, and numbered by twenties from 2[0] to 1340. The scales thus correspond to dividing the meter into 4,500 parts. The back of the rule is stamped in red: METRE. It is also stamped: 1 (/) 4500.
The third rule has a scale labeled "1000 FEET" along one edge. It is divided to fives and numbered in both directions by hundreds from 0 to 1,000. Each increment of 100 units is 1-3/16" (3.05 cm) long. The other edge is divided by ones and numbered in both directions by tens from 0 to 250. This scale is labeled: 250 FEET. The scales are 12" (30.5 cm) long. The back of the rule is marked: Fujishima.
The fourth rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 250. The scales along both edges are identical, 12-1/16" (30.7 cm) long, divided to single units, and numbered by tens from 0 to 250. The back of the rule is stamped in red: FOOT. It is also stamped: 1 (/) 250. It is also stamped: C-1.
The fifth rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 200. The scales along both edges are identical, 12" (30.5 cm) long, divided to single units, and numbered by tens from 0 to 200. The back of the rule is stamped in red: FOOT. It is also stamped: 1 (/) 200. It is also stamped: 5. Handwriting in Japanese on the back of the rule has not been translated.
The sixth rule has scales for 3/8" to the foot and 3/4" to the foot along one edge. The other edge has scales for 1-1/2" to the foot and 3" to the foot. The back of the rule is stamped in red: FOOT. It is also stamped: C-1.
The scales on the seventh and shortest rule are 1-13/16" (4.6 cm) long and numbered by ones from 0 to 3. The scale along one edge is divided to quarter-units, and the scale on the other edge is divided to twelfths of a unit. The rule is marked on the back: 1/20. It is also stamped in red: 1.
These rules were likely used in engineering and architectural drawing. Compare to MA.261284, MA.261285, 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.261283
catalog number
261283
accession number
51116

Box of American Lead Pencil Co. Venus Pencils and Eraser

This set of four short (less than 3-1/2") wood and graphite pencils is in a rectangular white cardboard box. The pencils are marked: VENUS AMERICAN (/) PENCIL CO. N.Y. They are also marked with the hardness of their leads: HB, B, F, 4H.
Description
This set of four short (less than 3-1/2") wood and graphite pencils is in a rectangular white cardboard box. The pencils are marked: VENUS AMERICAN (/) PENCIL CO. N.Y. They are also marked with the hardness of their leads: HB, B, F, 4H. These correspond to a chart of lead hardnesses that is on the top of the box. The chart is marked: "VENUS" PERFECT PENCILS: (/) Made in 17 Black and 2 Copying Degrees: (/) each degree guaranteed never to vary. (/) London. AMERICAN PENCIL CO., New York. Empty space in the box suggests it originally held five pencils.
The box also holds a 1" white rubber eraser marked: VENUS (/) AMERICAN PENCIL CO. (/) NEW YORK (/) No100. Next to the eraser is a 2-1/2" square wooden dowel covered in white paper marked: ←—— This Is The New VENUS ERASER Try It. The inside of the box lid has an advertisement for the eraser, which came in twelve sizes, ranging from four pieces in one box to 100 pieces in one box. The presence of the eraser suggests that this set was made after MA.330191.
The American Lead Pencil Company began operating in New York City around 1861 and started to manufacture the Venus line of drawing pencils in 1905. By 1939 the firm was advertising itself as the American Pencil Co. Various retailers in the United States, including Keuffel & Esser and the Eugene Dietzgen Co., offered the Venus line from the 1930s to the 1960s. In 1956 American Pencil Co. changed its name to Venus Pen and Pencil to reflect its popular brand. Faber-Castell USA purchased the firm in 1973.
The owner of these pencils, Mendel Lazear Peterson (1918–2003), earned degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi and Vanderbilt University. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1943 and served in the Pacific theater, where he developed an interest in underwater archaeology. He remained in the service after World War II. From 1958 to 1973, he was a Smithsonian curator in historic archaeology and armed forces history. He likely acquired the pencils during his military career.
References: D. B. Smith, "Venus Drawing Pencil," http://leadholder.com/wood-venus.html; Bart Barnes, "Smithsonian's Mendel Peterson Dies," Washington Post, August 28, 2003.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1939-1956
maker
American Lead Pencil Company
ID Number
MA.330192
accession number
288888
catalog number
330192

Irregular Curve or French Curve, Possibly Queen and Company Catalog #918, #22

This long, relatively thin transparent plastic curve has a single relatively narrow opening in the bottom half. Similar but not identical curves were sold by Dietzgen and by Keuffel & Esser Company.
Description
This long, relatively thin transparent plastic curve has a single relatively narrow opening in the bottom half. Similar but not identical curves were sold by Dietzgen and by Keuffel & Esser Company. Dietzgen assigned the curve number 18 (part of catalog entry 2152 in the 1926 catalog), while Keuffel & Esser gave it the number 20 (part of catalog entry 1860 in the 1921 catalog). A mark on the object reads: 22. In its 1883 catalog, James Queen and Company listed a similar curve made out of hard rubber as catalog number 653, #22. However, it does not list plastic curves in this catalog. In a 1922 catalogue, Queen lists a curve very similar to this one as number 22. It cost eighty cents in pearwood, one dollar in rubber, and $1.20 in celluloid.
References:
Eugene Dietzgen Company, Catalog, 1926, p. 221.
James W. Queen and Company, Catalogue, 1883, p. 57. This catalog has no celluloid curves.
Queen & Co., Inc., Catalogue of Engineering Instruments and Materials, rev., Part I, Philadelphia, by 1922, p. 160. These curves have catalog number 918 (in celluloid). The catalog is in the James W. Queen & Company Collection in the NMAH Archives Center.
Keuffel & Esser Company, Catalogue, 1921, p. 148.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1910
maker
Queen and Company
ID Number
MA.304722.10
accession number
1973304722
catalog number
304722.10

E. O. Richter & Co. 1610 Set of Drawing Instruments

This wooden bar-lock case is covered with imitation black leather and lined with dark blue velvet. The top of the case is marked: Präcision (/) D. P. (/) E. O. Richter & Co. The Richter trademark of a superimposed backwards E, O, and R is between the letters D and P.
Description
This wooden bar-lock case is covered with imitation black leather and lined with dark blue velvet. The top of the case is marked: Präcision (/) D. P. (/) E. O. Richter & Co. The Richter trademark of a superimposed backwards E, O, and R is between the letters D and P. The set includes:
1) 5-1/2" and 5-3/8" painted metal, German silver, and steel drawing pens.
2) 6-1/4" German silver fixed-leg dividers. The center hinge is marked: Richter. The Richter trademark is to the right of the mark.
3) 6-1/4" German silver dividers with extension bar and removable pencil, pen, and needle points. The center hinge is marked: Richter. The Richter trademark is to the right of the mark.
4) 2-1/2" metal screwdriver painted black. Inside the tube are two needle points.
5) 3-1/4" metal handle with three needle points inside.
6) 4-1/8" German silver bow dividers, bow pencil, and bow pen, all with a central thumbscrew. On each instrument, the side of one leg is marked with the Richter trademark. The bow pen is also marked: D. R. P.
The pens may not be original and the joint tightener is missing, but the rest of the set appears to be intact. Compare to 317925.04, 325684, 1985.0909.01, and 2007.0039.01. E. O. Richter & Co., which began making fine drawing instruments in Chemnitz, Germany, in 1892, advertised this set as model number 1610. In 1926, it sold for 59.00 DM.
Reference: Catalogue of E. O. Richter & Co., 5th ed. (Chemnitz, Germany, [1926]), 71.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 20th century
maker
E. O. Richter & Co.
ID Number
MA.335301
accession number
317889
catalog number
335301

Pocket Case of Drawing Instruments

This 18th-century pocket-sized wooden case is covered with black shagreen, leather made from the skin of a shark or rayfish. A previous owner signed paper lining the lid: James Ross bought (/) of John E. Hornor [?] (/) Rice & 1710 N[illegible] (/) #181[illegible].
Description
This 18th-century pocket-sized wooden case is covered with black shagreen, leather made from the skin of a shark or rayfish. A previous owner signed paper lining the lid: James Ross bought (/) of John E. Hornor [?] (/) Rice & 1710 N[illegible] (/) #181[illegible]. Inside the lid is also handwritten: J. E. Hornor [?] (/) $15.5024 (/) [illegible].
Six instruments are currently inside the case: 1) a brass and steel pair of 6" dividers with one removable point; 2) a 1-1/8" round brass handle that does not fit anything in the case; 3) a brass and steel pen point for the dividers; 4) a 6-1/4" brass and steel drawing pen; 5) a brass crayon holder for the dividers; and 6) a 6" ebony parallel rule with scalloped brass hinges.
When mathematician James McKenna gave this set of drawing instruments to the Smithsonian in 1934, he reported that an ancestor used it at Bedford, Pa., before 1800. A tool that was then in the case was scratched with the name John A. Stuart, suggesting that this surveyor in Bedford County who gave his name to a line laid out on Wills Mountain also owned the case at some point.
References: Maya Hambly, Drawing Instruments, 1580–1980 (London: Sotheby's, 1988), 185–190; Peggy A. Kidwell, "American Parallel Rules: Invention on the Fringes of Industry," Rittenhouse 10, no. 39 (1996): 90–96.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
18th century
ID Number
MA.310891
catalog number
310891
accession number
131549

Set Square Signed Nicolas Bion

A square is an instrument used to draw lines perpendicular to other lines. It also can be used to test whether two lines are perpendicular. Squares in which the arms are fixed date from ancient times.
Description
A square is an instrument used to draw lines perpendicular to other lines. It also can be used to test whether two lines are perpendicular. Squares in which the arms are fixed date from ancient times. By the 16th century, they also were made from two rules hinged together at one end so that they fold up compactly, allowing them to fit conveniently into a case of drawing instruments. See MA.316914, MA.335353, 1979.0876.01, and 1984.1070.01.
Early modern squares often had plumb bobs for finding a vertical axis, as in a building under construction. While most others in the collection were lost before they arrived at the Smithsonian, this fixed-leg, L-shaped brass instrument retains its plumb bob, which is tied to a string that runs through a pinhole at the square's vertex. On one side, the long leg of this instrument has a scale divided into units of about 7/16". The scale is numbered by tens from 10 to 100 and is marked: Echelle De 100 parties [scale of 100 parts]. The first unit is divided into tenths and numbered from 1 to 10. This side is also marked: N Bion AParis.
On the other side, the long leg has a scale divided into units of about 7/8". The scale is numbered by tens from 60 to 10 and is marked: Echelle de 60 parties [scale of 60 parts]. The first unit is divided into tenths and numbered from 10 to 1. The outer edge has a scale of French inches (about 1-1/16" English inches) numbered by ones from 5 to 1. The largest unit is divided into twelfths and numbered by threes from 12 to 3. This scale is marked: Pouce de Roy [inch of the French king].
The short leg has a scale divided into units of about 1-25/32". The scale is numbered by tens from 10 to 20 and is marked: Echelle de 20 parties [scale of 20 parts]. The first unit is divided into tenths and numbered from 1 to 10. The outer edge has a scale of French inches numbered by ones from 1 to 4. The largest unit is divided into twelfths and numbered by threes from 3 to 12. This scale is marked: pouce de roy [inch of the French king].
Nicolas Bion (about 1652–1733) made and sold mathematical instruments in Paris in his own shop and as royal maker for Louis XIV. He prepared a famous 1709 manual on the construction and use of mathematical instruments. 1980.0580.05 and MA.321675, two sectors in the collections, also came from his workshop. The Smithsonian acquired this object in 1959. Henry Russell Wray, the previous owner, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and was a businessman in Colorado Springs, Colo., in the early 20th century.
References: Maya Hambly, Drawing Instruments, 1580–1980 (London: Sotheby's Publications, 1988), 105; Nicholas Bion, The Construction and Principal Uses of Mathematical Instruments, trans. Edmund Stone (London: for John Senex, 1723), 12, Plate 2.
Reference:
Sotheby & Company, Catalogue of a Collection of Scientific Instruments, the Property of the Late Henry Russel Wray, London, 1959 (a copy of the catalogue is in the accession file).
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1681-1733
maker
Bion, Nicholas
ID Number
MA.316929
catalog number
316929
accession number
228694

Set of Drawing Instruments

This mahogany veneered case is fastened with metal hooks and lined with black velvet. The top has a green sticker marked: 14. An L-square, ruler, case for pencil leads, and compass attachments appear to be missing from inside the case.
Description
This mahogany veneered case is fastened with metal hooks and lined with black velvet. The top has a green sticker marked: 14. An L-square, ruler, case for pencil leads, and compass attachments appear to be missing from inside the case. The instruments that remain in the set include:
1) 6-1/8" steel, German silver, and ivory drawing pen. The handle is broken.
2) 4-1/4" German silver and steel dividers with removable pen and needle points.
3) 7/8" German silver joint tightener.
4) 5" German silver and steel fixed-leg dividers.
5) 5-3/4" German silver and steel dividers with removable pen point, pencil point, and lengthening bar.
According to the donor, the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey acquired the instruments on September 24, 1912, and last issued them to an employee on January 19, 1927. No sets like this one were found in Keuffel & Esser, Dietzgen, or Gurley catalogs.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1912
ID Number
MA.309654
catalog number
309654
accession number
106954

Drafting Triangle

This 6-1/4" 30°-60°-90° wooden triangle has a 1-1/8" round hole at the center for positioning and holding the instrument. The hole is larger than those in 1979.0876.02 and MA.335331. Cursive initials "D.
Description
This 6-1/4" 30°-60°-90° wooden triangle has a 1-1/8" round hole at the center for positioning and holding the instrument. The hole is larger than those in 1979.0876.02 and MA.335331. Cursive initials "D. D." are engraved near the 60° angle.
The donors' family was prominent in the history of American science. John William Draper (1811–1882) was a chemist who also made innovations in photography. He had three sons: John C. Draper (1835–1885), who was a physician and chemist; Henry Draper (1837–1882), who was an astronomical photographer; and Daniel Draper (1841–1931), who established the New York Meteorological Observatory in Central Park in 1868 and directed it until 1911. The initials on the object suggest Daniel owned the triangle.
References: Maya Hambly, Drawing Instruments, 1580–1980 (London: Sotheby's Publications, 1988), 108–109; Robert S. Harding and Jeffrey L. Tate, "Draper Family Collection, ca. 1826–1936," Archives Center, National Museum of American History, http://amhistory.si.edu/archives/d8121.htm.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
late 19th century
ID Number
MA.304826.137
catalog number
304826.137
accession number
304826

Set of 7 Japanese Scale Rules Signed Fujishima

Seven bamboo rulers, five that are just over 12" (about 31 cm) long and two that are 2-1/4" (15.5 cm), are in a rectangular paulownia wood case. Labels have been torn away from inside the case lid and the right end of the case.The first and second rules are identical.
Description
Seven bamboo rulers, five that are just over 12" (about 31 cm) long and two that are 2-1/4" (15.5 cm), are in a rectangular paulownia wood case. Labels have been torn away from inside the case lid and the right end of the case.
The first and second rules are identical. They have a groove along one edge. The other edge has a scale 30.3 cm long that is divided into ten sun, a traditional Japanese unit of length that is 1/10 of a shaku, a "foot" measure. Each unit is 1-3/16" (3 cm) long. The first seven units are subdivided into 20 parts, the eighth into 40 parts, the ninth into 50 parts, and the tenth into 100 parts. The center of each unit is marked with a dot. The center of the rule has five horizontal and two vertical dots that form a "T."
The third rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 32. It has scales for 3/8" to the foot and 3/4" to the foot along both edges. The back is marked: FOOT. It is also marked: 1/32. It is also stamped in red: 1.
The fourth rule is ebonized. The front is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. The scales along both edges are identical, divided to fifths of a unit and numbered by fives from 5 to 140. Each increment of five units is 13/32" (1.1 cm) long, and the scales are both labeled: 1/12. The back of the rule is stamped: 1 (/) 12. It is also stamped: 6.
The fifth rule has two scales of inches, divided to 1/16" on one edge and to 1/12" on the other. Both scales are numbered by ones from 1 to 12. The back is stamped in red: INCH. It is also marked: 1 (/) 16. It is also marked: 1 (/) 12. It is also marked: 3.
The sixth and seventh rules have scales that are 1-5/16" long. Both rules are divided along both edges into eight units that are subdivided into tenths. On the sixth rule, the scales are numbered by tens from 0 to 80. The back is marked: 1/500. It is also stamped in red: 9. The scales on the seventh rule are numbered by ones from 0 to 8. The back is marked: 1/40. It is also stamped in red: 2.
These rules were likely used in engineering and architectural drawing. Compare to MA.261283, MA.261285, 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.261284
catalog number
261284
accession number
51116

Set of 6 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 six bamboo rulers, four that are just over 12" (about 31 cm) long and two that are 2-1/4" (15.5 cm).The first rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima.
Description
A rectangular paulownia wood case has a red and white sticker on the right end marked: No. 45 (/) M. Inside the case are six bamboo rulers, four that are just over 12" (about 31 cm) long and two that are 2-1/4" (15.5 cm).
The first rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 3500. The scales along both edges are identical, 30 cm long, divided to single units, and numbered by twenties from 0 to 1,040. The back of the rule is stamped in red: METRE. It is also marked: 1 (/) 3500. It is also marked: 1.
The second rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 50. The scales along both edges are identical, 12" long, divided to tenths of a unit, and numbered by ones from 0 to 72. The back of the rule is stamped in red: INCH. It is also marked: 1 (/) 50. It is also marked: 4.
The third rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 25. Both edges have scales for 1" to the foot and 1/2" to the foot along one edge. The back of the rule is stamped in red: FOOT. It is also stamped: 1 (/) 25. It is also stamped: 2.
The fourth rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 2500. The scales along both edges are identical, 30 cm long, divided to single units, and numbered by tens from 0 to 750. The back of the rule is stamped in red: METRE. It is also marked: 1 (/) 250 (not 2,500). It is also marked: 6.
The fifth and sixth rules have scales that are 1-15/16" long. Both rules are divided along both edges into four units that are subdivided into tenths. On the fifth rule, the scales are numbered by tens from 0 to 40. The back is stamped in red: 1 (/) 250. It is also stamped in red: 13. The scales on the sixth rule are numbered by ones from 0 to 4. The back is stamped in red: 1 (/) 25. It is also stamped in red: 2.
These rules were likely used in engineering and architectural drawing. Compare to MA.261283, MA.261284, MA.261285, 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.261286
catalog number
261286
accession number
51116

Pocket Case of Architect's Drawing Instruments Signed Rubergall

This pocket-sized tortoiseshell case has silver trim around the outside, blue velvet lining in the lid, and wooden frame with slots for holding the instruments. The top of the case has a silver plate marked: ANIMO ET FIDE [courage and faith].
Description
This pocket-sized tortoiseshell case has silver trim around the outside, blue velvet lining in the lid, and wooden frame with slots for holding the instruments. The top of the case has a silver plate marked: ANIMO ET FIDE [courage and faith]. Inside the case are: a 4-1/2" pair of silver and steel dividers with one removable point; a silver crayon holder and a pen point that both fit the dividers; a 2-7/8" silver and steel drawing pen; a 4-1/2" ivory rectangular protractor; and a 4-7/8" ivory English-style sector with a silver hinge.
The protractor is divided to single degrees and numbered by tens in both directions from 10 to 170. The interior has scales for 1/4", 1/2", 3/4" and 1 inch to the foot. This side is marked: * RUBERGALL COVENTRY. ST. LONDON *. The back of the protractor has scales dividing the inch into 60, 50, 45, 40, 35, and 30 parts; a line of chords; and a plotting scale with diagonal scales at each end.
One side of the sector has three double scales: sines, running from 10 to 90 degrees; tangents, running from 45 to 75 degrees; and a second tangent scale, running from 10 to 45 degrees. The outer edge of both legs has scales for logarithmic tangents, sines, and numbers. The hinge is marked: Rubergall (/) London.
The other side has a double scale along the fold line for regular polygons, from 12 to 4 sides. Both legs have scales of equal parts, running from 1 to 10 and labeled L; of secants, running from 20 to 75 and labeled S; and of chords, running from 10 to 60 and labeled C. The outer edge has a 9" ruler divided to 1/10" and numbered by ones from 1 to 9. The upper arm has scales labeled In Me [inclined meridian] and Cho [chords] that each run from 10 to 90. The lower arm has scales labeled Lat [latitude], running from 10 to 70; and Hou [hours], running from I to VI. These four scales are associated with making sundials and are characteristic of sectors made in England in the 18th and early 19th centuries. See http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object-groups/sectors. Silver inserts protect scale marks where users would frequently set divider points.
Thomas Rubergall was an optician and instrument maker whose workshop operated in London from 1802 to 1854 and was located on Coventry Street from 1805 to 1854. The instruments in this case are likely all original to the set. The Smithsonian acquired this object in 1960.
References: Science Museum Group, "Collections Online – People," http://collectionsonline.nmsi.ac.uk/detail.php?type=related&kv=104654&t=people; Gloria Clifton, Directory of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851 (London: National Maritime Museum, 1995), 239.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1805-1854
maker
Rubergall, Thomas
ID Number
MA.318222
accession number
233319
catalog number
318222

Keuffel & Esser Set of Drawing Instruments

This wooden bar-lock case is covered with leather and lined with blue velvet. The front is marked: KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. NEW YORK.
Description
This wooden bar-lock case is covered with leather and lined with blue velvet. The front is marked: KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. NEW YORK. The set contains: two steel drawing pens with ivory handles (5-5/8" and 4-3/4"); 3-1/2" German silver and steel compass with removable pen point; 5-5/8" German silver and steel dividers missing one leg with extension bar and pen and pencil point attachments; and a divider point that does not fit either the compass or dividers. The arrangement of instruments does not match any set advertised in Keuffel & Esser catalogs between 1880 and 1936.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1900
maker
Keuffel & Esser Co.
ID Number
MA.335335
accession number
305958
catalog number
335335

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