Capt. Field's Improved Hinged Parallel Rule Signed Henry Hughes & Son

Description:

This 21" German silver hinged parallel rule has two knobs for positioning the instrument. Brass round pieces cover the screws securing the two hinges. The edges of the top blade are marked as a rectangular protractor, and the edges of the bottom blade are marked for nautical compass points.

The right end of the upper blade is marked: CAPT. FIELD'S IMPD. The center of the lower blade is marked: U. S. C. & G. S. NO. H. 398. The left end has the firm's "HUSUN" logo for the London instrument maker H. Hughes & Son, with a sun above the letters and waves below the letters. A circle around the logo is marked: REGISTERED TRADE MARK (/) GT BRITAIN.

Capt. William Andrew Field (about 1796–1871) of Britain added a protractor and compass scales to hinged parallel rules in 1854. This made it easier for ship navigators to move the rule without losing track of the ship's course. Henry Hughes & Son made marine and aeronautical navigational instruments in London from 1828 to 1947 and incorporated in 1903. According to the accession file, the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey acquired this rule on November 6, 1923, and last issued it on February 16, 1924. Compare to MA.309661 and MA.309663.

References: "Field's Parallel Rule," The Nautical Magazine and Naval Chronicle 23, no. 5 (May 1854): 280; Peggy A. Kidwell, "American Parallel Rules: Invention on the Fringes of Industry," Rittenhouse 10, no. 39 (1996): 90–96; National Maritime Museum, "Captain Field's Improved Parallel Rule," Object ID NAV0602, http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/42814.html; Science Museum Group, "Henry Hughes and Son Limited," Collections Online – People, http://collectionsonline.nmsi.ac.uk/detail.php?type=related&kv=58792&t=people.

Date Made: 1923

Maker: H. Hughes & Son, Ltd.

Location: Currently not on view

Place Made: United Kingdom: England, London

Subject: MathematicsNavigationGovernment

Subject:

See more items in: Medicine and Science: Mathematics, Science & Mathematics, Parallel Rules, Measuring & Mapping

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Credit Line: Transfer from U.S. Department of Commerce, Coast & Geodetic Survey

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: MA.309662Catalog Number: 309662Accession Number: 106954

Object Name: parallel rule

Physical Description: brass (overall material)german silver (overall material)Measurements: overall: 1.1 cm x 53.6 cm x 7.3 cm; 7/16 in x 21 3/32 in x 2 7/8 in

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-0492-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_690216

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