Set of drawing instruments
Cased set of drawing instruments, presumably manufactured by T. Newman of London (or Stanley?) and associated with Geo. Calder (see 2019.063.01-4).
Case of polished wood with blank brass cartouche, lid lined with purple velvet. Hinges of brass, right hinge has split from the lid and as such the box is not stable. There is a lock but the key is lacking.
Contains fitted tray lined in purple velvet and containing nine instruments. The set is incomplete and possibly not all original. Of the items remaining the following are provisional identifications:
1. Large ruling pen (used for producing lines of a particular and exact width, the width of the line being controlled by the distance between the sprung metal tines of the nib and regulated at pleasure by a small finger-wheel) with handle of turned bone (?).
2. Turned hardwood handle w. brass (?) socket to accept no. 8.
3. Small compass (instrument used to describe a circle of desired diameter around a central point or a partial arc of such a circle) with optional ruling pen and pencil, distance between ruling-pen tines and between compass arms regulated by finger-wheels, affording greater precision than the item No. 7.
4. Ruling pen attachment with brass peg. Also found containing heavily shaved red pencil.
5. Ruling-pen attachment with brass peg.
6. Third ruling-pen attachment with brass peg.
7. Incomplete brass pair of compasses lacking drawing implement.
8. Ruling-pen attachment accepted by No. 2
9. Large ruling-pen with handle of turned bone, inscribed 'STANLEY'.
Beneath the tray is a wooden comparment containing loose two pairs of dividers (used e.g. for measuring distances on maps) and two protractors (used to measure or produce and angle of a given degree of arc) , all of mainly brass construction. One protractor is worn and bent, the other in better condition inscribed copperplate 'T. Newman London.'
There are three empty fitted compartments in the velvet tray. Items 4. 5. and 6. are not obviously accepted by any handle present. The fit in the compartments is often poor and there are two makers names inscribed upon different instruments. Hence it is doubtful the contents and case represent one original set.
Dimensions: Width 209 mm - Length120 mm thickness 45 mm