Other Scientific Instruments

Exceptional 20th Century WWII German Joseph Schneider Steel observation telescope binoculars on a later telescopic stand. This model was originally designed by Emil Busch and it has ...

A superb and rare early 20th Century rotary Bakelite telephone. The phone features the original cord connecting handset to reciever and a small drawer at the front revealing a pad fo...

Vintage surveyor's transit made by Keuffel & Esser Company. The serial number dates this to 1957. The base it sits on is marked The A. Lietz Company San Francisco. Everything appears...

An antique French counter or grocer scale in ebonized hardwood and mahogany inlay with white marble top, circa 1880. The scale is made of hardwo...

Compass Pierre de Baillou Milan, first quarter of the 18th century Brass, steel and glass It measures 3.81 in x 3.81 x 0.59 (9.7 cm x 9.7 x 1.5) It weights 0.57 lb (259 g) State of conservation: some signs of use and some slight scratches on both the metal and the glass. The whole instrument is made of brass, apart from the glass cover and the magnetic steel needle. The cup of the compass has a lid and is attached to a square plate; inside the wind rose is engraved and the cardinal points are marked. The square plate is graduated 0 ° / 360 ° around the compass and is divided into four vertices, bearing the inscription: Pierre de Baillou Fait à Milan A shaped radial hand, which pivots between the cup and the plate, acts as a movable indicator. Nothing is known of the biography and activity of Pierre de Baillou. The fact that he signed a scientific instrument, defining it "made in Milan", allows us to hypothesize with some certainty that he was related to François de Baillou (Milan, 1700-1774), a Milanese optician and one of the most famous manufacturers of telescopes and microscopes of his time. Descending from a French family who had settled in Milan, François was nominated Royal Optician by Empress Maria Theresa in 1750. Pierre was probably his relative - perhaps his father - and may have started his business as a manufacturer of scientific instruments in Milan. This was then continued by François. A compass of proportions signed by Pierre is present in the collections of the Civic Collections of Applied Art of the Castello Sforzesco (Tullio Tomba, La collezione Scientifica delle civiche raccolte del Castello Sforzesco, in Rassegna di Studi e di Notizie, 1973, p. 114). A brass sundial from the first quarter of the 18th century signed Pierre Baillou Fait à Milan is kept at the Poldi Pezzoli museum in Milan (inv. 4141). Anthony John...

Brass and leather three draw telescope by J. H. Steward of London. This is a Quick Focus Marksman. The telescope has a walnut and acrylic stand. The optics are a little dirty. The te...

Early 19th century Naval Navigational Octant by John Crichton (London) in Original Case, circa 1830s, an ebony frame quadrant with brass mounted lens, mi...

Early 20th century surveyor's level made be Troughton and Simms of London. This comes in its original mahogany case. The dimensions listed are for ...

Vintage surveyor's transit made by David White Company of Milwaukee. This dates to 1952. Everything appears to be operable on the transit. There is no...

Vintage surveyor's transit made by C. L. Berger and Sons of Boston. This dates to the early 1940's. The base it sits on is marked The A. Lietz Company San Francisco. Everything appea...

This exceptionally rare French surgeon's kit contains dozens of instruments for performing a wide variety of procedures, including general operations, amputations, catheterization, b...

Telescope with decorative level. Metal. Small decorative telescope with top level and three adjustable legs that also has a compass and bubble levels." ...