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: Scale Rules

Whitehead & Hoag Ruler Advertising E. Machlett & Son

This white plastic advertising rule has a scale of inches along the top edge, divided to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 1 to 6, and a scale of centimeters along the bottom edge, divided to millimeters and numbered by ones from 1 to 15.
Description
This white plastic advertising rule has a scale of inches along the top edge, divided to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 1 to 6, and a scale of centimeters along the bottom edge, divided to millimeters and numbered by ones from 1 to 15. A list of equivalent measures is at the right end. The center of the rule is marked: E. MACHLETT & SON (/) 22 E. 23rd Street NEW YORK 10, N.Y. (/) Laboratory APPARATUS & CHEMICALS (/) ESTABLISHED 1897. The left end is marked: PHONE (/) LEXINGTON 2-1313 (/) BELL TELETYPE (/) N. Y. 1-2444.
The back of the rule has scales for converting between Fahrenheit and Celsius temperatures and for measuring the size of a cork. A table of diameters and weights of rubber stoppers is in the lower right corner. The center of the rule is marked: MACHLETT. The right end is marked in very small type: WHITEHEAD-HOAG NEWARK N J.
Founded in 1892 and in business until 1959, Whitehead & Hoag was a major producer of paper and plastic advertising novelties. It was headquartered in Newark but had branch offices in about thirty cities around the world. For other mathematical objects made by this company, see 1984.1080.01, 1987.0221.02, 1988.0323.01, 1988.0350.01, and 2004.010.0170. Items made by Whitehead & Hoag are also found in several other Museum collections, including numismatics, political history, and medicine.
E. Machlett & Son began making glass laboratory apparatus in New York City in 1897. Fisher Scientific acquired the firm in 1957. The U.S. Post Office Department began using two-digit postal codes in 1943, so that must be the earliest date for the instrument.
References: "Whitehead and Hoag Collection," Nehushtan Antiques, http://www.nehushtanantiques.com/whitehead_and_hoag.html; Laine Farley, "Whitehead & Hoag Celluloid Bookmarks," http://www.bibliobuffet.com/on-marking-books-columns-195/archive-index-on-marking-books/1039-whitehead-a-hoag-celluloid-bookmarks-053109; Machlett advertisement, Analytical Chemistry 25, no. 4 (1953): 15A.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1943–1957
maker
Whitehead & Hoag Company
ID Number
MA.335274
accession number
314637
catalog number
335274

Japanese Scale Rule

This 18 cm brass ruler is divided to millimeters along one edge. An oval (0) is stamped over the dividing line for the fifth, tenth, and fifteenth units. The other edge is divided into six units of 1-3/16" (3 cm).
Description
This 18 cm brass ruler is divided to millimeters along one edge. An oval (0) is stamped over the dividing line for the fifth, tenth, and fifteenth units. The other edge is divided into six units of 1-3/16" (3 cm). Each unit is thus roughly equivalent to the sun, a traditional Japanese unit of length that is 1/10 of a shaku, a "foot" measure. The units are subdivided into 50 parts. Each unit is marked with a small "0." The fifth units has a row of three zeroes above the "0."
The Japanese Empire Department of Education displayed this rule at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. It then was held by the Museum of the U.S. Bureau of Education before transfer to the Smithsonian in 1910. For more information, see MA.261298 and MA.261313.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
before 1876
ID Number
MA.261291
catalog number
261291
accession number
51116

American Manufacturing Rule Advertising O. D. Morrill Typewriters

This 6" wooden rule is divided to 1/32" and numbered by ones. It is marked: AMER. MFG. CONCERN, FALCONER, N.Y. It is also marked: 314 S. State St., (/) Ann Arbor; SINCE (/) 1908; O. D.
Description
This 6" wooden rule is divided to 1/32" and numbered by ones. It is marked: AMER. MFG. CONCERN, FALCONER, N.Y. It is also marked: 314 S. State St., (/) Ann Arbor; SINCE (/) 1908; O. D. MORRILL (/) Typewriters, Adding & Office Machines; PHONE (/) 6615; Office Supplies (/) and Equipment.
The back has two drawings of typewriters and is marked: O. D. MORRILL, 314 S. State St., Ann Arbor (/) Typewriters, Adding and Office Machines of All Makes (/) Bought – Sold – Rented – Exchanged – Cleaned – Repaired (/) Office and Student Supplies – – – – – Stationery (/) Since 1908 • Typewriting and Mimeographing • Phone 6615.
In 1888 William T. Falconer and D. E. Merrill formed a partnership in Falconer, N.Y., to produce wooden items such as rulers, washing machines, and toys. The firm incorporated as American Manufacturing Concern in 1910. Between 1930 and 1950, the company shifted its emphasis to wooden furniture. In 1978 the firm was renamed Fancher Chair Company.
Oscar David Morrill (c. 1884–1949) began selling office machines and supplies to University of Michigan students and local residents in 1908. The store was still on State Street in 1917, but by 1920, it advertised itself as on Nickels Arcade in Ann Arbor. From 1931 to at least 1958, the store again gave its address as 314 S. State Street. (The two locations are around the corner from each other.)
References: Mattatuck Museum, "Apothecaries Hall Ruler," acc. no. 98.12.4, http://www.mattatuckcollections.org/Obj494$248; Fancher Chair Company, "Our History," http://fancherchair.com/history-fancher-chair.html; Polk's Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Washtenaw County Directory (Detroit: R. L. Polk & Co., 1917), 482; D. C. Millen, Ann Arbor Guide (Dewitt C. Millen, 1920), 13; University of Michigan, Michiganensian (Ann Arbor, 1931), 546.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1931–1950
maker
American Manufacturing Concern
ID Number
MA.335273
accession number
314637
catalog number
335273

Gunter's Scales, Group of 2

These two 2' boxwood rules are identical to each other and to MA.319077 and MA.318174. The top of one side has a scale of inches, divided to tenths of an inch and numbered by ones from 23 to 1.
Description
These two 2' boxwood rules are identical to each other and to MA.319077 and MA.318174. The top of one side has a scale of inches, divided to tenths of an inch and numbered by ones from 23 to 1. On the left are 10" and 9" (divided to 1/2") plotting scales with diagonal scales at each end. In the middle are scales for rhumbs, chords, sines, tangents, and semi-tangents. On the right are scales for leagues, rhumbs, miles of longitude, and chords. Brass pins at the zero and 60° marks reduce wear from the points of dividers, which were used to transfer measurements between the scale and the user's drawing.
The other side has logarithmic scales: sines of rhumbs, tangents of rhumbs, line of numbers, sines of degrees, versines of degrees, and tangent of degrees. At the bottom edge are a meridional line and a scale of equal parts that divides 23" into 17 sections. The sections are numbered by tens from 60 to 10 and from 100 to 0.
The first rule is marked on the first side in the lower right corner: BELCHER BROS. & Co. NEW – YORK. Thomas Belcher began making rules in New York in 1821 and was joined by his brother, William, in 1825. Around 1831 another brother, Charles, joined the firm, and the company's name was changed from T. & W. Belcher to Belcher Brothers. Around 1843 manufacturing of rules moved to New Jersey and the firm went by the name Belcher & Bros. Around 1853 some of the men's sons joined the firm, and the name was changed to Belcher Bros. & Co. The first rule dates to this period. The company had become the largest American manufacturer of rules, but it was surpassed by Stanley in the second half of the 19th century. Belcher stopped manufacturing rules around 1877.
The second rule is unmarked. Key points around the scales are marked with suns, unlike the asterisks on the first rule; the abbreviations for the scale labels are different; and the bottom edge is beveled at a sharper angle than the bottom edge of the first rule. These differences indicate that the second rule was manufactured by a different firm. This rule also has pencil marks on the top and bottom edges.
References: Otto van Poelje, "Gunter Rules in Navigation," Journal of the Oughtred Society 13, no. 1 (2004): 11–22; Belcher Bros. & Co.'s Price List of Boxwood & Ivory Rules (New York, 1860; reprint, Fitzwilliam, N.H.: Ken Roberts Publishing Co., 1982); Philip A. Cannon II, "The Makers and Markers of Gauges, Rules, Squares, and Tapes," http://www.pactu.com/makers.htm.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1853–1877
maker
Belcher Brothers
ID Number
MA.333945
accession number
296611
catalog number
333945

Lufkin 651B Folding Rule

This four-fold boxwood rule has a brass round joint at the center and two brass hinges. It is two feet long when unfolded. One side has a scale of inches divided to 1/8" and numbered by ones from 23 to 1. One arm is marked: No 651B LUFKIN RULE CO.
Description
This four-fold boxwood rule has a brass round joint at the center and two brass hinges. It is two feet long when unfolded. One side has a scale of inches divided to 1/8" and numbered by ones from 23 to 1. One arm is marked: No 651B LUFKIN RULE CO. The other arm is marked: 1681 MADE IN U.S.A. PAT'D 12–3–18.
The other side has a scale of inches divided to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 23 to 1. One arm is marked: WARRANTED BOXWOOD. The other arm is marked: N.Y.C. APP. TYPE 352 SERIAL E 2.
Initially a manufacturer of boards for measuring timber and then of steel measuring tapes, the Lufkin Rule Company took that name in 1885 and moved from Cleveland, Ohio, to Saginaw, Mich., in 1895. By 1903 Lufkin was the largest manufacturer of steel measuring tapes in the United States. Around 1915 the firm began importing boxwood folding rules from central Europe and made the rules itself once World War I cut off its supplies. While Lufkin had a model 651 (formerly 68) that it advertised from the early 20th century into the 1950s, model 651B only began to appear in 1916 and disappeared by 1925. Twelve of these rules sold for $2.50 in 1916.
Lufkin president Fred Buck received the patent noted on the instrument for an improvement to the joint. Thus, this rule dates between 1918 and 1925. Cooper Industries purchased the company in 1967, closing its factories but preserving Lufkin as a brand name. An earlier Lufkin rule is 1985.0817.01.
References: Lufkin Rule Company, Measuring Tapes and Rules, cat. no. 9 (Saginaw, [1916]), 77; Fred Buck, "Joint for Folding Rules" (U.S. Patent 1,286,525 issued December 3, 1918); Lufkin Rule Company, Measuring Tapes, Rules, and Machine Tools, cat. no. 11 (Saginaw, [about 1925]), 120; David N. Keller, "The Lufkin Rule Company," in A Source Book for Rule Collectors, ed. Philip E. Stanley (Mendham, N.J.: Astragal Press, 2003), 81–86.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918–ca 1925
Maker
Lufkin Rule Company
ID Number
MA.335275
accession number
314637
catalog number
335275

Straight Edge Signed Eberhard Faber

This undivided, black hard rubber rule is beveled along both long edges. It is marked: EBERHARD FABER (/) NEW YORK. John Eberhard Faber (1822–1879) began making pencils in New York City in 1861. In 1872 his factory moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn, where it remained until 1956.
Description
This undivided, black hard rubber rule is beveled along both long edges. It is marked: EBERHARD FABER (/) NEW YORK. John Eberhard Faber (1822–1879) began making pencils in New York City in 1861. In 1872 his factory moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn, where it remained until 1956. The company also made and sold other office supplies, expanding in 1898 by forming the Eberhard Faber Rubber Company of Newark, N.J., to make erasers and rubber bands. Compare this object to MA.319738.
Reference: Donald G. Presa, "Eberhard Faber Pencil Company Historic District Designation Report," New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, 2007, http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/downloads/pdf/reports/Eberhard_Faber.pdf.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 20th century
maker
Faber, Eberhard
ID Number
MA.327306
accession number
266152
catalog number
327306

Somers Bros. Rule and Paper Cutter, Advertising Horlick's Malted Milk

This yellow-coated tin combination rule and paper cutter has a 9" scale divided to eighths of an inch along one long edge. The other long edge is shaped into a tube, which may serve as a handle while cutting paper.
Description
This yellow-coated tin combination rule and paper cutter has a 9" scale divided to eighths of an inch along one long edge. The other long edge is shaped into a tube, which may serve as a handle while cutting paper. The rule is marked: Compliments (/) of HORLICK'S FOOD Co (/) RACINE, WIS. It is also marked: HORLICK'S FOOD (/) IS THE BEST DIET (/) for INFANTS (/) and INVALIDS (/) &c. Advertising text also appears around the tube, including the information that 18 ounces of the product cost 75¢. The back of the rule is marked: SOMERS BROS. BROOKLYN, N.Y. Compare to MA.293320.2814.
William Horlick (1846–1936) and his brother, James, emigrated from England in 1869 and settled in Racine, Wis. In 1872 the men moved to Chicago, where they established Horlick's Food Company before moving the firm back to Racine in 1876. They worked on dried milk powders, leading to William's patent for the first malted milk powder in 1883. This product is the one advertised on this object, for use as a baby formula and to provide easily-digestible nutrition to nursing mothers, people with stomach problems, and the like.
Joseph L. and Guy A. Somers began manufacturing tin products in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1862. When a third brother, Daniel McLean, joined the firm in 1869, the business was renamed Somers Bros. It became known for lithographing designs onto tinware. In 1901 American Can Company took over the firm's operations. A three-acre factory building constructed in 1884 still stands. Richard S. Thain of Oak Park, Ill., patented the design for this combination ruler and paper cutter in 1885.
References: James Horlick and William Horlick, "Improvement in Concentrated Extracts for Food" (U.S. Patent 163,493 issued May 18, 1875); William Horlick, "Granulated Food for Infants and Process of Preparing the Same" (U.S. Patent 278,967 issued June 5, 1883); Wisconsin Historical Society, "'That's Meat and Drink to Me': Wisconsin's Malted Milk Story," 1996–2004, http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/museum/exhibits/horlicks/; Oak Clearing Farm and Museum, "Racine Time Line: Tid-Bits of History 1699–1899," 2000, http://www.racinehistory.com/timeline.htm; "Somers, Joseph L.," National Cyclopaedia of American Biography (New York: James T. White and Company, 1922), xviii:85; "Daniel McL. Somers Dead," New York Times, August 30, 1912.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1885–1901
advertiser
Horlick's Corporation
maker
Somers Brothers
ID Number
MA.293320.2815
accession number
293320
catalog number
293320.2815

Casella Scale of British and Pyramid Inches

This white ceramic rule is stored in a wooden case lined with red felt, surrounded by wooden shapes to hold it in place and underneath a piece of plywood. The interior of the rule has two scales.
Description
This white ceramic rule is stored in a wooden case lined with red felt, surrounded by wooden shapes to hold it in place and underneath a piece of plywood. The interior of the rule has two scales. The first is in red ink, divided to twentieths of a British inch, and numbered by ones from 0 to 25. A small scale dividing one inch into hundredths is to the left of this scale, and an extra 1/10" is at the right of the scale. The second scale is in black ink, divided to twentieths of a "pyramid inch," and numbered by ones from 0 to 25.
The scale is marked: SCALE OF BRITISH INCHES, (/) For residual error, at Temperature 68° F., see note on case. (/) SCALE OF 25 PYRAMID INCHES, OR 1 PYRAMID CUBIT. (/) at Temp. 68° F., = one ten-millionth of the earth's semi-axis of Rotation; with a Residual error, see note on case. The upper right corner of the scale is marked in red: B. & P. SCALE, No. 2. (/) May, 1867. The lower right corner of the scale is marked in black: MADE & DIVIDED BY (/) L. CASELLA. (/) 23. HATTON GARDEN, LONDON.
Two thermometers are screwed into the case on either side of the scale. The first is divided by single degrees Fahrenheit and numbered by tens from 20 to 140. The second is divided by two degrees Fahrenheit and numbered by tens from 10 to 150. Three-fourths of its tube has been missing since it arrived at the Museum in 1987. Both thermometers are marked: J. M. BRYSON (/) OPTICIAN (/) EDINBURGH. James Mackay Bryson (1824–1894), whose firm was known for making thermometers, came from a family of Edinburgh instrument makers and scientists.
A handwritten note on Royal Observatory of Edinburgh stationery is pasted inside the lid of the case. It reads, "1872 (/) The 'British Inches' of this scale, in Red divisional (/) lines, have been found by a preliminary Microscopic comp- (/) -arison to be true, for their whole 25 inch sum of (/) length, to within half the thickness of one of the division lines, (/) at the temperature of 68* Fah. The expansion for an in- (/) -crease of 1*F. on the whole 25 inches in length, = (/) = 0.00004 of an inch, nearly. (/)The above red British Inches are those in (/) terms of which the Earth has been measured in modern (/) times. The black Inches on the lower part of (/) the scale, are the Ancient Inches of the Great (/) Pyramid; in terms of which Inches, both the chief (/) measures of that Monument, and the modern (/) measures of the Earth, come out in round and (/) even numbers of fives and tens. They are, each (/) of them 0.001 of an inch longer than the British Inch. (/) P.S. (/) Ast. R. for Scotd."
Charles Piazzi Smyth (1819–1900) was Astronomer Royal of Scotland from 1846 to 1888. He did significant scientific work, including pioneering high-altitude observing and solar astronomy, but he was also obsessed with pyramidal numerology. From January to April, 1865, he and his wife, Jessica, made careful measurements of every surface of the Great Pyramid at Giza. He concluded that the pyramid was constructed using a measurement system he called "pyramid inches," which were each one ten-millionth of the earth's semi-axis of rotation. Since the pyramid inch was so close in length to the British inch, Smyth recommended that Great Britain retain the imperial system of weights and measures rather than adopt the metric system.
To visually demonstrate the agreement between the systems of measurement, Piazzi Smyth commissioned London instrument maker Louis Pascal Casella (1812–1897) to make rules like this one when Smyth published an account of his research in 1867. Since there is a discrepancy between the date on this rule and the note in the lid, the example owned by National Museums Scotland (online ID 000-190-004-745-C, catalog number T.1962.108) may be older than this instrument. By 1876 the Science Museum in London was also exhibiting a Casella scale of British and pyramid inches, donated by Piazzi Smyth. Library staff at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., were unable to determine how this object ended up at the college. Casella did not advertise the rule in his 1871 catalog.
References: Charles Piazzi Smyth, Life and Work at the Great Pyramid, 3 vol. (Edinburgh, 1867); L. Casella, An Illustrated Catalogue of Surveying, Philosophical, Optical, Photographic, and Standard Meteorological Instruments (London, 1871); Science and Art Department of the Committee of Council on Education, Catalogue of the Special Loan Collection of Scientific Apparatus at the South Kensington Museum, 2nd ed. (London, 1876), 42; H. A. Brück and M. T. Brück, The Peripatetic Astronomer: The Life of Charles Piazzi Smyth (Bristol, Eng.: Adam Hilger, 1988), 95–134; T. N. Clarke, A. D. Morrison-Low, and A. D. C. Simpson, Brass & Glass: Scientific Instrument Making Workshops in Scotland (Edinburgh, 1989), 112–117; National Museums Scotland, Online Collections Database, http://nms.scran.ac.uk/; "People: L. Casella," Waywiser, Harvard University Department of the History of Science, http://dssmhi1.fas.harvard.edu/emuseumdev/code/eMuseum.asp?lang=EN; accession file.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1867–1872
maker
Casella, Louis Paschal
ID Number
1987.0196.01
accession number
1987.0196
catalog number
1987.0196.01

Aristo 1324 Set of Scales

These eight white plastic rules have scales dividing 10 centimeters into proportions of 1:75, 1:50, 1:40, 1:33-1/3, 1:30, 1:25, 1:15, and 1:10. They are fastened together inside a brown leather sleeve marked: BLUE (/) WHITE. The words form a logo with a triangle and T-square.
Description
These eight white plastic rules have scales dividing 10 centimeters into proportions of 1:75, 1:50, 1:40, 1:33-1/3, 1:30, 1:25, 1:15, and 1:10. They are fastened together inside a brown leather sleeve marked: BLUE (/) WHITE. The words form a logo with a triangle and T-square. The 1:75 rule is marked: ARISTO (/) Nr. 1324. Inside the sleeve is a price tag marked: BLUE & WHITE (/) ESCALA (/) ARISTO (/) NO. 1324 (/) $30.00.
In 1948 the German slide rule company, Dennert & Pape, was renamed Aristo, after the brand of plastic slide rules the firm was then manufacturing. Aristo stopped manufacturing mathematical instruments in 1978 and turned to computer-aided design. Model 1324 is shown in a 1955 catalog, alongside other rulers and architect's scales. The donor, Sebastian J. Tralongo (1928–2007), served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and then worked for the Vitro Corporation in Rockville, Md., for 35 years. He patented a device for signaling from deeply submerged submarines.
References: International Slide Rule Museum, "Aristo," http://sliderulemuseum.com/Aristo.htm; Walter Shawlee II, Ted Hume, and Paul Ross, "Aristo Slide Rule Archive," Sphere Research Corporation, http://www.sphere.bc.ca/test/aristo.html; Aristo Slide Rules & Drafting Instruments (Germany, [1955]), 36; "Tralongo, Sebastian James 'Subby'," Hartford Courant, May 26, 2007; Sebastian J. Tralongo, "Submarine Signal Device" (U.S. Patent 2,989,024 issued June 20, 1961); "Vitro Corp. – Company Profile," http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/25/Vitro-Corp.html.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1948–1978
maker
Dennert and Pape
ID Number
1984.1071.03
accession number
1984.1071
catalog number
1984.1071.03

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

Faber-Castell Map Measure Sold by U. S. Blue Co.

This metal map measure consists of a slender tubular handle attached to a dial with a wheel protruding from the bottom. The white paper dial is covered by glass and has a thin blue metal arrow attached in the center. The arrow moves as the wheel is traced along a map.
Description
This metal map measure consists of a slender tubular handle attached to a dial with a wheel protruding from the bottom. The white paper dial is covered by glass and has a thin blue metal arrow attached in the center. The arrow moves as the wheel is traced along a map. The outer ring of the dial is marked by threes from 0 to 39 for converting inches to miles or inches to verstes (a traditional Russian length measure equivalent to 3,500 feet). The inner ring is divided by units and numbered by tens from 0 to 100 for converting centimeters to kilometers.
The center of the dial is marked: Made in (/) Switzerland (/) U.S. BLUE CO. (/) CHICAGO. The metal between the dial and the wheel is marked: F C (/) DEPOSE. The Faber-Castell logo of a castle is between the letters F and C. The letter B is scratched into the back of the instrument.
The German company A. W. Faber was renamed Faber-Castell in 1905. It sometimes manufactured products in Switzerland, and "depose" suggests that the firm filed for a trademark there. U.S. Blue was presumably a blueprint company located in Chicago; it also sold slide rules from Hemmi. The Eugene Dietzgen Co. also sold this instrument, charging $2.20 in 1926. Alfred J. Betcher (1887–1971) owned this example, perhaps purchasing it when he was studying at the University of Minnesota (1906) or at West Point (1907–1911). He was commissioned as a captain, served at posts in New York, Vermont, and Kentucky, and retired in 1939 at the rank of lieutenant-colonel. In 1940 he was elected mayor of Canajoharie, N.Y.
References: Russ Rowlett, How Many? A Dictionary of Units of Measurement, July 11, 2005, http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/index.html; Catalogue & Price List of Eugene Dietzgen Co., 12th ed. (Chicago, 1926), 171; accession file.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1910
maker
Faber, A. W.
ID Number
1982.0386.07
accession number
1982.0386
catalog number
1982.0386.07

Lumber Stick with Sixteen scales

This round wooden yardstick is divided into 16 scales numbered from right to left that divide the foot into various numbers of parts.
Description
This round wooden yardstick is divided into 16 scales numbered from right to left that divide the foot into various numbers of parts. The scales include: 8 (units of 1 1/2" or 3.8 cm), 9 (1 5/16" or 3.3 cm), 10 (1 3/16" or 3.0 cm), 11 (1 1/16" or 2.7 cm), 12 (1" or 2.6 cm), 13 (11/12" or 2.3 cm), 14 (7/8" or 2.1 cm), 15 (13/16' or 2.0 cm), 16 (3/4" or 1.9 cm), 17 (11/16" or 1.7 cm), 18 (21/32' or 1.6 cm), 19 (5/8" or 1.6 cm), 20 (5/8' or 1.5 cm), 21 (9/16" or 1.5 cm), 22 (17/32" or 1.4 cm), and 23 (1/2" or 1.3 cm) parts per foot. The number of subdivisions per foot is indicated at the right end of each scale, but these marks are badly worn.
The left end of the rule is marked: PSP (/) April 25th (/) 1822. The right end is marked: PSP (/) 1822.
The National Museum of History and Technology, now the National Museum of American History, acquired this calculating stick, probably between 1962 and 1965, for its Growth of the United States exhibition, which opened in 1967 and closed in 1982. See also 1987.0107.05.
Reference: William S. Walker, "A Living Exhibition: The Smithsonian, Folklife, and the Making of the Modern Museum" (Ph.D. diss., Brandeis University, 2007).
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1822
ID Number
1987.0107.06
accession number
1987.0107
catalog number
1987.0107.06

Square Wood Rule or Calculating Stick

This large wood rule has a square cross-section and rounded edges. Metal plates are screwed into both ends. The rule is covered with numbers placed at one-inch intervals. One corner is numbered by ones from 1 to 60 and labeled "Height." "Wood Rule" is written above the scale.
Description
This large wood rule has a square cross-section and rounded edges. Metal plates are screwed into both ends. The rule is covered with numbers placed at one-inch intervals. One corner is numbered by ones from 1 to 60 and labeled "Height." "Wood Rule" is written above the scale. Adjacent to the 11 on this scale are listed 15 "Widths" in intervals of one inch, ranging from 3'2" to 4'4". Next to each Width, and adjacent to the numbers 12–60 on the Height scale, are lists of numbers. Each number is eight times the product of the height and width, with both of these taken in feet (i.e., the 12 is assumed to represent one foot). The numbers in the lists are rounded off to the nearest whole number.
The National Museum of History and Technology, now the National Museum of American History, acquired this calculating stick, probably between 1962 and 1965, for its Growth of the United States exhibition, which opened in 1967 and closed in 1982. What the original owner was measuring with these calculations is not known.
Reference: William S. Walker, "A Living Exhibition: The Smithsonian, Folklife, and the Making of the Modern Museum" (Ph.D. diss., Brandeis University, 2007).
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th century
ID Number
1987.0107.05
accession number
1987.0107
catalog number
1987.0107.05

Rule and Straight Edge Signed Eberhard Faber

This wooden rule is divided along the top edge to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 1 to 14. A brass straight edge is fastened behind the scale. Both long edges are beveled. A hole for hanging the ruler is drilled through the left end of the ruler. The center front is marked: E.
Description
This wooden rule is divided along the top edge to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 1 to 14. A brass straight edge is fastened behind the scale. Both long edges are beveled. A hole for hanging the ruler is drilled through the left end of the ruler. The center front is marked: E. FABER. (/) U. S. A. The back is engraved in script: Wm. R. Maxon. Compare to 1987.0634.03.
Eberhard Faber's company made pencils and other office supplies in New York City from 1861 until 1956, when manufacturing moved to Wilkes-Barre, Penn. A. W. Faber-Castell acquired the company in 1987.
According to the accession file, William R. Maxon was the curator of plants at the National Museum of Natural History from 1899 to 1946. He used this rule in his botanical research.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 20th century
maker
Faber, Eberhard
ID Number
1987.0634.02
accession number
1987.0634
catalog number
1987.0634.02

Group of Four Alumicolor Triangular Architect's Scales

These 6-3/4" aluminum triangular rules are each a different color (gold, silver, red, blue), but they all bear the same scales. The first side has an inch scale, divided to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 1 to 6, along one edge.
Description
These 6-3/4" aluminum triangular rules are each a different color (gold, silver, red, blue), but they all bear the same scales. The first side has an inch scale, divided to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 1 to 6, along one edge. 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 60 and from right to left by twos from 0 to 28. The gold and silver rules are marked: ARCHITECT ALUMICOLOR Code 121 made in El Salvador (3).
One edge of the second side has scales for 1-1/2" and 3" to the foot. The other edge has scales for 3/4" and 3/8" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 3/8", numbered from right to left by twos from 0 to 12 and from left to right by ones from 0 to 6. The red rule is marked: Cod. 121 ARCHITECT. The blue rule is marked Cod. 121 made in El Salvador.
One edge of the third side has scales for 1" and 1/2" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1/2", numbered from right to left by twos from 0 to 8 and from left to right by ones from 0 to 4. The blue rule is marked: ARCHITECT ALUMICOLOR. The order of the second and third sides is also reversed on the blue rule, compared to the other three rules. All four rules are photo-anodized to make the scales a permanent part of the surface.
Alumicolor refers both to a manufacturer of drafting tools, length measures, and promotional items, and to the company's proprietary process for anodizing aluminum. The firm's headquarters are in the United States, and its factory is in El Salvador. In 2012 Alumicolor offered these architect's scale rules as model number 3010 for $6.50 each. Hearlihy & Co., a Springfield, Ohio, supplier of drafting instruments and developer of technology education curriculum modules founded by the donor's parents in 1969, continues to distribute these rules.
References: Alumicolor: Made to Stay, Promotional Products Catalog, vol. 12 ([Fort Collins, Colo.], 2012), 3, http://www.alumicolor.com/Alumicolor_promo_catalog_v12_web.pdf; "About Hearlihy," http://www.hearlihy.com/about/; accession file.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1985
maker
Alumicolor
ID Number
1987.0589.05
accession number
1987.0589
catalog number
1987.0589.05

Rule and Paper Cutter Signed Eberhard Faber

This wooden rule is divided along the bottom edge to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 14 to 1. A brass straight edge, sharp enough to cut paper, is fastened behind the scale. Both long edges are beveled. The center front is marked: EBERHARD FABER.
Description
This wooden rule is divided along the bottom edge to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 14 to 1. A brass straight edge, sharp enough to cut paper, is fastened behind the scale. Both long edges are beveled. The center front is marked: EBERHARD FABER. (/) NEW–YORK (/) RULER & PAPER CUTTER. The front is also marked: Wm. R. Maxon. It is also marked: CLP. It is also marked: Morton. The back is marked: W.R.M. Compare to 1987.0634.03.
Eberhard Faber's company made pencils and other office supplies in New York City from 1861 until 1956, when manufacturing moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pa. A. W. Faber-Castell acquired the company in 1987.
According to the accession file, at the National Museum of Natural History Charles Louis Pollard was an assistant curator of ferns from 1895 to 1903, William R. Maxon was the curator of plants from 1899 to 1946, and Conrad V. Morton was a curator of ferns from 1926 to 1972. All three men presumably used this ruler in their research.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1895–1903
maker
Eberhard Faber
ID Number
1987.0634.03
accession number
1987.0634
catalog number
1987.0634.03

Rule Signed Antonius Braun

This small brass rule has two linear scales, one labeled "4" that is divided to quarter-units and numbered by ones from 30 to zero, and one labeled "3" that is divided to quarter-units and numbered by ones from 22 to zero.
Description
This small brass rule has two linear scales, one labeled "4" that is divided to quarter-units and numbered by ones from 30 to zero, and one labeled "3" that is divided to quarter-units and numbered by ones from 22 to zero. The units are 0.5 cm (7/32") and 0.7 cm (9/32") long, respectively. A brass peg is in the center of the rule, and a small round hole is on the right edge. These suggest the rule was designed to attach to other rules, although no such rules were received with the instrument.
While the scales are in a 4:3 proportion to each other, the pre-metric units of measurement represented by either scale are not known. The length of the divided portion (15.6 cm or 6-3/16") is almost exactly half the length of the average fuss (31.4 cm or 12.36"), a traditional "foot" measure used in German-speaking areas of Central Europe.
The top edge of the rule is marked: Antonius Braun Invenit et Fecit 1722. Anton Braun (1685–1728), a native of Swabia in southwest Germany, made instruments in Prague by 1720 and in Vienna by 1724. In 1727 he built a pinwheel calculator during a competition to become chief instrument maker for Holy Roman Emperor Karl VI.
References: Herbert Arthur Klein, The Science of Measurement: A Historical Survey (reprint; New York: Dover, 1988), 63; Russ Rowlett, How Many? A Dictionary of Units of Measurement, July 11, 2005, http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/index.html; Adler Planetarium, Webster Signature Database, http://historydb.adlerplanetarium.org/signatures/.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1722
maker
Braun, Anton
ID Number
1987.0606.01
accession number
1987.0606
catalog number
1987.0606.01

C-Thru W-30 Rule Modified by Owner

This five-inch portion of a clear plastic ruler has a scale of inches along the top, divided to 1/16", numbered by ones from 8 to 11 inside a 3X8 grid at each inch and numbered by ones from 2 to 5 below the grid.
Description
This five-inch portion of a clear plastic ruler has a scale of inches along the top, divided to 1/16", numbered by ones from 8 to 11 inside a 3X8 grid at each inch and numbered by ones from 2 to 5 below the grid. The bottom edge has a centimeter scale divided to millimeters and numbered by ones from 1 to 12. The rule is marked: C-THRU RULER COMPANY (/) Hartford, Conn. U.S.A. The C-Thru logo with the company name and a ruler inside a circle is to the left of the mark. The bottom edge and left and right ends have been cut into points.
Teacher Jennie Zachs established the C-Thru Ruler Company in Hartford in 1939. The firm was acquired by Acme United Corporation in 2012 and continues to make transparent drafting tools and drawing instruments, including model W-30. The donor, Sebastian J. Tralongo (1928–2007), served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and then worked for the Vitro Corporation in Rockville, Md., for 35 years. He patented a device for signaling from deeply submerged submarines. The object was received with several other drawing instruments in a wooden box, 1984.1071.13.
References: Brian Dowling, "Acme United Acquires Bloomfield's C-Thru Ruler," Hartford Courant, June 11, 2012; "About Us," C-Thru Ruler Company, http://www.cthruruler.com/; "Tralongo, Sebastian James 'Subby'," Hartford Courant, May 26, 2007; Sebastian J. Tralongo, "Submarine Signal Device" (U.S. Patent 2,989,024 issued June 20, 1961); "Vitro Corp. – Company Profile," http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/25/Vitro-Corp.html.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
mid 20th century
maker
C-Thru Ruler Company
ID Number
1984.1071.12
accession number
1984.1071
catalog number
1984.1071.12

Rule Hand Marked by Robert F. Roche

Robert Frederick Roche (b. about 1839), an immigrant from Ireland, apparently purchased this 20-inch wooden rule as a blank straight edge and then marked it by hand.
Description
Robert Frederick Roche (b. about 1839), an immigrant from Ireland, apparently purchased this 20-inch wooden rule as a blank straight edge and then marked it by hand. One side has a proportional scale marked up to one billion; an evenly divided scale numbered by ones from 1 to 12, with each unit equivalent to 4 cm; a logarithmic scale; a scale labeled PERCENTAGE; a scale labeled under 2 Percent; and a proportional scale numbered by ones from 2 to 13, with the number 6 miswritten as 8. The upper left corner of this side is missing. The right end is marked: Robert (/) F. Roche. A hole near the right end is for hanging the rule.
The other side has a proportional scale of units that is numbered by ones from 2 to 17 and labeled TENS at the right end; a logarithmic scale of tenths that is labeled UNITS at the right end; a proportional scale of roots and powers numbered by ones from 2 to 14; a proportional scale numbered by ones from 11 to [3]0; a scale of equal parts numbered by ones from 1 to 12, with each unit equivalent to 4 cm; and a scale of equal parts numbered by ones up to 47, with each unit equivalent to 1cm. The left end is stamped with an eagle logo and the word: TRADEMARK. This end is also marked: KEUFFEL & ESSER (/) N.Y.
Although the instrument was marked by Keuffel & Esser, by 1880 that firm sold no 20-inch straight edges. James W. Queen of Philadelphia did offer a 20-inch wooden straight edge for 30¢ in 1874, but one edge was beveled while both long edges of this instrument are straight. By 1877, like K&E, the shortest wooden straight edges offered by Queen were 24 inches long.
In 1864, Roche served in the U.S. Army at Fort Columbus in New York Harbor. According to a patent he received in 1878 and a notice of his son, Roche was stationed at Fort Foote in Maryland from at least 1871 to 1878, when this installation that provided defense to Washington, D.C., was abandoned and Roche moved his family into the District of Columbia.
References: James W. Queen & Co., Priced and Illustrated Catalogue . . . of Mathematical Instruments (Philadelphia, 1874), 46; James W. Queen & Co., Priced and Illustrated Catalogue . . . of Mathematical Instruments (Philadelphia, 1877), 46; Catalogue and Price List of Keuffel & Esser Co., 13th ed. (New York, 1880), 116; Robert F. Roche, "Improvement in Adding Sticks" (U.S. Patent 206,136 issued July 16, 1878); "New Inventions," Scientific American n.s., 39, no. 9 (August 31, 1878), 133; "Roche, Sidney," Who's Who in the Nation's Capital (Washington, D.C.: The Consolidated Publishing Company, 1921), 335. MA.311957 is an example of the patented device.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880
maker
Keuffel & Esser Co.
Roche, Robert F.
ID Number
1984.1080.02
accession number
1984.1080
catalog number
1984.1080.02

Instruction Manual for Gerber GraphAnalogue

The citation information for this 52-page stapled booklet is: H. J. Gerber, The Gerber GraphAnalogue (Hartford, Conn.: The Gerber Scientific Instrument Company, 1953). The booklet explains the construction and use of the Gerber GraphAnalogue.
Description
The citation information for this 52-page stapled booklet is: H. J. Gerber, The Gerber GraphAnalogue (Hartford, Conn.: The Gerber Scientific Instrument Company, 1953). The booklet explains the construction and use of the Gerber GraphAnalogue. (See 1994.0113.02.)
It then describes typical problems that could be solved with the instrument: plotting a family of curves; reading printed graphs without having to replot them; reproducing drawings at unusual scales; normalizing curves; interpolating points; counting frequency cycles; enlarging or reducing diagrams; determining pressure ratios; solving navigation and center of gravity problems; reading oscillograms and aerial photographs; spacing rivets; setting up engineering scales; determining a rate of elevation; estimating functions; and multiplying and dividing. The company sold specially-sized graph paper that could be laid on the base in order to plot curves.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1953
maker
Gerber Scientific Instrument Co.
ID Number
1994.0113.05
accession number
1994.0113
catalog number
1994.0113.05

Flexible Ruler Invented by Frank G. Hunt

Frank G. Hunt of Buffalo, N.Y., designed this flexible steel rule for drawing straight lines on curved surfaces, such as those of ledger books. The rule has no scales, but it has a small round metal handle in the middle of the front.
Description
Frank G. Hunt of Buffalo, N.Y., designed this flexible steel rule for drawing straight lines on curved surfaces, such as those of ledger books. The rule has no scales, but it has a small round metal handle in the middle of the front. Nine rectangular clips on the back hold several layers of paper covered by a metal rectangle. The middle clip is marked: EXP. ACC'T. F. G. HUNT (/) PAT'D. FEB.25.02 (/) BUFFALO, N.Y. Hunt distributed the rule via the Hunt Ruler Company in Buffalo at least as late as 1920. By 1922, he had passed away but the firm was expanding.
References: Frank G. Hunt, "Flexible Ruler" (U.S. Patent 694,061 issued February 25, 1902); "Buyers' Reference Bureau: Rulers: Metal or Steel," The American Stationer and Office Outfitter 86, no. 18 (May 8, 1920): 102; "Hunt Ruler Company Expanding," Office Appliances 36 (July 1922): 49; Buffalo Historical Society, "Buffalonians More or Less Noted, Who Died in 1922," in Reports of the President and Secretary (Buffalo, 1923), 46.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1902–ca 1922
inventor; patentee
Hunt, Frank G.
ID Number
1991.0694.02
accession number
1991.0694
catalog number
1991.0694.02

Keuffel & Esser 1392P Open Divided Scale

This 13" boxwood scale rule has a white celluloid coating along both long edges. The top edge has scales for 1" and 1/2" to the foot.
Description
This 13" boxwood scale rule has a white celluloid coating along both long edges. The top edge 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 1 to 11, and numbered from right to left by ones from 0 to 21. 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 96, and numbered from right to left by twos from 0 to 48. The middle of the rule is marked: PARAGON 1392P K+E KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. The back of the rule is marked: D. B.
Keuffel & Esser of New York City began using the logo shown on this object in 1943, but did not start printing it on instruments until 1949. That year, model 1392P sold for $4.00. The company changed its model numbers in 1962.
Isaac Giacinto Molella, who worked as an electrical engineer for General Electric in the United States, North Africa, and Europe in the 1950s, owned this scale. Presumably he acquired it secondhand from someone with the initials D.B.
References: Catalogue of Keuffel & Esser Co., 40th ed. (New York, 1944), 128; K+E Price List, 41st ed. (New York, 1949); Catalogue of Keuffel & Esser Co., 42nd ed. (New York, 1954), 180.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1949–1962
maker
Keuffel & Esser Co.
ID Number
1992.0433.04
accession number
1992.0433
catalog number
1992.0433.04

Stanley Folding Rule with Caliper

This four-fold boxwood rule has a brass arch joint at the center and two brass hinges. Unfolded, it measures 31.2 cm W x 1.2 cm D x 0.5 cm H. Both sides are marked: No 32. The scales on both sides are numbered by ones from 11 to 1.
Description
This four-fold boxwood rule has a brass arch joint at the center and two brass hinges. Unfolded, it measures 31.2 cm W x 1.2 cm D x 0.5 cm H. Both sides are marked: No 32. The scales on both sides are numbered by ones from 11 to 1. On one side, the rule is divided to 1/16" along the top edge and to 1/12" along the bottom edge.
The other side is divided to 1/8" along the top edge and to 1/10" along the bottom edge. A brass caliper slides out from the right end of the rule. Both sides are divided to 1/16" and marked: 1, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4. The underside and the slot in the rule are also marked: 58. The divisions are all roughly made; the instrument does not appear to be machine-divided.
The Stanley Rule & Level Company of New Britain, Conn., offered model number 32 from 1859 to 1941. The shape of caliper jaw found on this instrument was introduced between 1888 and 1892. An illustration from a 1919 Stanley catalog indicates that the company name was stamped on the ruler by that time. A similar folding pocket rule with caliper is advertised as model number 1752 in Catalog of Eugene Dietzgen Co., 7th ed. (Chicago, 1904), 167. Its price was 60¢. The Department of Entomology at the National Museum of Natural History used this rule to study its collections.
Reference: Philip E. Stanley, Boxwood & Ivory: Stanley Traditional Rules, 1855–1975 (Westborough, Mass.: Stanley Publishing Company, 1984), 95–96.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1892
maker
Stanley Works
ID Number
1990.0099.01
accession number
1990.0099
catalog number
1990.0099.01

U.S. Lutz Scale

Made by US LUTZ, this open divided scale has both sides beveled and divided. The units are marked along the whole length of the edge and the end units are subdivided into inches and fractions.
Description
Made by US LUTZ, this open divided scale has both sides beveled and divided. The units are marked along the whole length of the edge and the end units are subdivided into inches and fractions. Two of the divisions are numbered to be read from the right, the other two from the left. The front of the scale has 4 different divisions, two on each edge: 1/8”, 1/4" on the top edges and 1”, 1/2" on the bottom edges. The back also has 4 different divisions, two on each edge: 3/8”, 3/4” on the top edges and 3”, 1 1/2” on the bottom edges.
This object was used by NMAH exhibit designer Russell Cashdollar, who gave it up in favor of computer-aided design.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Staedtler Mars
ID Number
2017.0267.02
accession number
2017.0267
catalog number
2017.0267.02

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.