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Scientific Instruments For Sale
Color: Brown
Color: Pink
18th Century Antique Georgian Satinwood Precision Barometer
Located in Devon, GB
A rare late 18th century George III period antique cross-banded satinwood wheel barometer. The nine inch circular silvered and engraved main scale has...
Category
18th Century English George III Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Satinwood
Pair of Louis XVI Ormulu Wall Clocks & Barometers
Located in New York, NY
Pair of French Louis XVI-style (Mid-19th Century) ormolu wall clock and barometer set each of banjo form with Apollo mask above putti and circular dial over bearded mask (Signed RAIN...
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal, Ormolu
French Eglomise Barometer
Located in Lincolnshire, GB
A fine decorative french eglomise barometer.
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Scientific Instruments
French 18th Century Gold Leaf Barometer
Located in New Orleans, LA
Made of hand-carved wood in 18th century France, this barometer is elegantly covered in a variety of carved designs, all coated in gold leaf. A handled Grecian vase sits atop the ste...
Category
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Gold Leaf
Empire Painted and Lacquered Spyglass, Early 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The adjustable spyglass with gilt brass trim and original leather case.
Category
Early 19th Century French Empire Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Lacquer
English Brass Bankers Balance Scale from the 19th Century with Circular Pans
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English brass bankers balance scale from the 19th century. Born in England during the 19th century, this elegant brass bankers scale features a centra...
Category
19th Century English Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
Mid-19th Century English Cast Iron Commodities Scale, Marked Birmingham
Located in Charleston, SC
A large 19th century English cast iron scale, circa 1840, marked Birmingham, England and features scrolling decorative and organic elements. It was purchased in the U.S. and would ha...
Category
19th Century British Gothic Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Iron
18th Century French Louis XVI Giltwood Barometer
Located in Houston, TX
Lovely period French Louis XVI giltwood barometer with beautiful patina. This antique French Louis XVI gilt wood barometer will add a touc...
Category
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Giltwood
French Louis XVI Barometer
Located in New York, NY
French Louis XVI (18th Century) barometer with original scientific illustrations and mercury vial framed with gilt foliate carvings & ebonized ...
Category
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Giltwood, Glass
English Brass Urn & Marble Base Scale . Circa 1815
Located in Hollywood, SC
English brass scale with centered urn , feather pointer , brass pans, marble base , and terminating on brass ball feet. All original . Early 19t...
Category
1810s English George III Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Marble, Brass
19th c. Giltwood Barometer
Located in New Orleans, LA
Carved and Giltwood Louis XVI Style Barometer
Category
19th Century French Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Giltwood
Antique Scottish Regency Verre Églomisé Barometer by John Russell of Falkirk
Located in Devon, GB
A fine and extremely rare early 19th Century Regency period wheel barometer by John Russell of Falkirk, barometer maker to the Prince Regent. This e...
Category
Early 19th Century English Regency Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Mahogany
Louis XV Period Gilded Barometer with Thermometer
Located in Pembroke, MA
An elegant French gilded wood barometer with thermometer (period Louis XV, Circa 1760). Barometer has been fitted with a new mercury tube, ...
Category
18th Century and Earlier French Louis XV Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Giltwood, Glass
Italian Venetian Gilt Wood Barometer
Located in New York, NY
Italian Venetian-style (20th Century) gilt carved and black painted barometer,with wreath top and cornucopia sides with scroll motifs.
Category
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Scientific Instruments
Materials
Giltwood
18th Century Antique Georgian Mahogany Wheel Barometer by E. Bates of Kettering
Located in Devon, GB
A late Georgian mahogany wheel barometer with satinwood marquetry inlay by Bates of Kettering.
The mahogany case has satinwood stringing and marquetry shell...
Category
Early 19th Century English George IV Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Mahogany
French 19th Century Brass Fabric Scale on Wooden Base by the Maison Piat
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French brass fabric scale from the 19th century with wooden base, from the Maison Piat. Created in Paris during the 19th century, this fabric scale, made of brass, is mounted on a ...
Category
19th Century French Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
Louis XV Style Ormolu-Mounted Tortoiseshell Clock and Barometer Set by Gleizes
Located in London, GB
Gilt-bronze and Tortoiseshell Clock and Barometer set by Gleizes
French, 19th Century
Height 115cm, width 30cm, depth 7cm
In the Louis XV style, t...
Category
19th Century French Rococo Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Ormolu
Louis XVI Giltwood Barometer
Located in Kittery Point, ME
Of typical form‚ the giltwood body centered by a circular barometer dial flanked by pillars ending in flame‚ above a thermometer flanked by foliate branches‚ surmounted by swags.
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Wood
Commercial Scale, Sweden 1867
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This fully functional scale bears the inspection stamp from the City of Hälsingborg and the date 1867. The stamp certifies that the scale was approved for trade. A great decorative i...
Category
19th Century Swedish Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Iron
Rustic Black Forest Walnut Barometer
Located in New York, NY
Rustic Black Forest (19th Century) walnut wall mounted thermometer/ barometer with strap-work cartouche hung with an elaborate carved hunting trophy.
Category
19th Century German Rustic Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal
Louis XVI Period Gilt-wood Barometer with Globe, c. 1790
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Louis XVI period Gilt-wood Barometer, with an interesting crest design of a Globe & rolled-up map, capped by a laurel wreath. The barometer & thermometer combination contained by a...
Category
1790s French Louis XVI Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Glass, Giltwood
Late 19th Century Physics Teaching Wheel
Located in Santa Monica, CA
These educational wheels, with copper and black painted surfaces, were used by Physics teachers in the late 19th century.
Please note we have two of these wheels available. One i...
Category
19th Century American Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Copper, Brass
Louis XVI Style Giltwood Thermometer/ Barometer
Located in Montreal, QC
The Louis XVI style giltwood case with ribboned crest flanked by trailing garlands above the wood cased painted wheel barometer
Category
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Giltwood, Glass
Louis XVI Period Barometer
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Very charming carved and gilded acanthus leaf framed Louis XVI period wall barometer with glass covered central dial and glass thermostat beneath; bot...
Category
Early 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Scientific Instruments
Pair of French Walnut Clocks & Barometers
Located in New York, NY
Pair of French (Mid-19th Century) clock and barometer inset into carved walnut pendant frames. Crowned bearded male heads with decorative swags, scrolls, and floral wreaths. (PRICED ...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Glass, Walnut
Box Containing 10 Dismountable Wooden Geometric Solids Italy Vallardi, 1963
Located in Milan, IT
Box containing 10 dismounplate geometric solids of oak wood, height 20 cm, inch 7.9, in their original wooden box complete with illustrative leaflet for calculating surfaces and volumes. Made for educational purposes for schools by Antonio Vallardi publisher in 1963. Box cm 30.5 x 40.5 H 12 cm.
The origins of the publisher Vallardi date back to 1750 when founder Francesco Cesare (1736-1799) acquired a small craft in the heart of old Milan. In the early nineteenth century, the publishing house was noted for the production of works of art, geography and science, including a "Tour of Italy" which took twenty-two printings between 1819 and 1835. The complete works of various maps and directions for travel, including timetables and fares for transportation of the time, can be considered the first modern tourist guide. The firm "Vallardi" was born in 1843 and the company became industrial, with the opening of branches on national scale...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Oak
Maco Braga Brass Apothecary Balance Scale
Located in San Mateo, CA
Brass apothecary style balance scale. This is marked J.A.L Portugal in numerous places. The scale retains all of it's original weights. The scale trays do not sit level without anyth...
Category
Late 19th Century Portuguese Victorian Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
19th Century T Walker’s Patent Harpoon Ship Log a 1 London Antique Maritime Tool
Located in Milan, IT
Brass log in the shape of a harpoon, signed T. Walker’s Patent Harpoon Ship Log A 1 London, from the second half of the 19th century. It is an ancient nautical instrument, very rare and with a characteristic shape, which measured the distance and speed of a ship. He was thrown overboard and dragged behind the ship itself; rotating thanks to its propeller, it transmitted the number of revolutions made on itself to the three dials made on an enameled metal plate placed in the center of the log; the quadrants reported measurements in miles from 0 to 100 in tens, from 0 to 10 in units, from 0 to 1 in quarters.
The data was then read every hour to also derive the speed.
In good condition, fully functional and mounted on a custom-made brass wooden base. Length 50 cm – 19.7 inches, propeller width 14 cm - 5.5 inches, log body diameter 4,5 cm - 1.7 inches.
Shipping is insured by Lloyd's London; our gift box is free.
In the past centuries the attempt to measure the speed of the ships was especially hindered by the lack of tools for the measurement of time of sufficient precision: throwing a piece of wood into the sea from the bow of a ship and measuring the time it took to get at the stern, it was possible to obtain some information on the speed of the ship, but with many errors and inaccuracies.
The principle of mechanical patent log was shown to the Royal Society in 1699 by Robert Hooke, but the first model produced for commercial use was patented just in 1802 by Edward Massey, uncle of Thomas Walker, that succeeded him in business.
Thomas Walker patented his first Walker log...
Category
1860s Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
Vintage Standard Bench Made Dies Steel Stamps Wood Box
By Standard Steel Company
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Vintage Standard Bench Made Dies Size 5/32
Steel Stamps Wood Box
Name inscribed on box.
3.5 x 3.5 x 3.75 h
Preowned unrestored original vintage co...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Scientific Instruments
Materials
Steel
Antique Wood Fid Textile Tool Marine Rope Slicing
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Antique Wood Tool, treen fid grooved top for rope strap.
Nautical collectible.
Measures: 8.75 long x 2 diameter
Original vintage condition.
Refer...
Category
Early 20th Century Rustic Scientific Instruments
Materials
Wood
1960s Box with 14 Dismounplate Geometric Solids Oak Wood Signed Vallardi Milano
Located in Milan, IT
Box containing 14 dismounplate geometric solids of oak wood, height 20 cm, inch 7.9 in their original wooden box complete with illustrative leaflet for calculating surfaces and volumes.
Made for educational purposes for schools by Antonio Vallardi publisher in 1963.
Box 48 x32 H 12 cm, inches 18.1 x 11.7 H 4.8.
The origins of the publisher Vallardi date back to 1750 when founder Francesco Cesare (1736-1799) acquired a small craft in the heart of old Milan.
In the early nineteenth century, the publishing house was noted for the production of works of art, geography and science, including a "Tour of Italy" which took twenty-two printings between 1819 and 1835.
The complete works of various maps and directions for travel, including timetables and fares for transportation of the time, can be considered the first modern tourist guide.
The firm "Vallardi" was born in 1843 and the company became industrial, with the opening of branches on national scale...
Category
1960s Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Wood
1960s Box Containing 14 Dismounplate Geometric Solids Of Oak Wood
Located in Milan, IT
Box containing 14 dismounplate geometric solids of oak wood, height 15 cm, inch 5.75 in their original wooden box complete with illustrative leaflet for calculating surfaces and volumes.
Made for educational purposes for schools by Antonio Vallardi publisher in 1963. Box 28x36 h 10 cm, inches 11 x 14 h 4.
The origins of the publisher Vallardi date back to 1750 when founder Francesco Cesare (1736-1799) acquired a small craft in the heart of old Milan.
In the early nineteenth century, the publishing house was noted for the production of works of art, geography and science, including a "Tour of Italy" which took twenty-two printings between 1819 and 1835.
The complete works of various maps and directions for travel, including timetables and fares for transportation of the time, can be considered the first modern tourist guide.
The firm "Vallardi" was born in 1843 and the company became industrial, with the opening of branches on national scale.
Category
1960s Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Wood
Industrial School Large Scale Green Office Paper Cutter
Located in New York, NY
Early 20th century large scale paper cutter. This model cutter was extensively used in schools, offices and in industrial settings. Typical wear from age ...
Category
Early 20th Century American Industrial Scientific Instruments
Materials
Steel
19th Century Antique Three Draw English Brass Telescope with Handle Leather
Located in Milan, IT
Brass telescope with leather handle, made at the end of the nineteenth century, focusing with three extensions. English manufacture of the second half of the 1800s. Maximum length 99...
Category
Late 19th Century British Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
Wooden Barometer Italy 18th Century Fiorone Manufacture
Located in Milano, IT
Mercury barometer and alcohol thermometer in a finely carved wooden frame with richly decorated plant motifs. The sides are decorated with scrolls with fish scales in relief intertwi...
Category
18th Century Italian Other Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Wood
French 1820s Restauration Period Carved Giltwood Barometer Signed Gohin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French Restauration period carved giltwood barometer from the early 19th century, signed Gohin Ingénieur-Opticien on the face. Created in France during the Restauration period, thi...
Category
Early 19th Century French Restauration Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Glass, Giltwood
Italian Modern Plexiglass and Glass Mercury Wall Thermometer, 1980s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern plexiglass and glass mercury wall thermometer, 1980s
Old mercury thermometer for wall,
Coming from an old doctor's office site in Mil...
Category
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Glass, Plexiglass
Vintage Czech Molecular Model
Located in High Point, NC
A molecular model from Czechia, circa 1970. Originally an educational aide, the jewel-like form creates a unique aesthetic impact. This complex molecul...
Category
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Acrylic
19th C Wax Anatomical Models Human Heart Growth Scientific Medical F.Ziegler
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A very rare and compete collection of ten labeled wax models of the human heart, showing the fetal development form early in the fourth week, to complete fetal growth.
The hand colo...
Category
1890s Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
Beautiful Carved Giltwood Louis XVI Style Lyre Barometer
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Beautiful carved giltwood Louis XVI style Lyre Barometer, with center dial with French inscriptions, the lower part fitted with glass thermometer.
Category
Early 20th Century European Louis XVI Scientific Instruments
Materials
Glass, Giltwood
Gold Brass Adjustable Desktop Magnifier Accessories 20th Century Glass
Located in Mombuey, Zamora
Brass adjustable desk magnifier
20th century
Elegant desktop magnifying glass made of golden brass, with original magnifying glass and very ...
Category
20th Century French Other Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
18th Century English Banjo Barometer, circa 1780
Located in Atlanta, GA
18th century English Banjo Barometer, circa 1780.
Category
1780s English Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Mahogany
19th Century Swedish Folk Art Mortar or Grinder
Located in Mjöhult, SE
Charming 19th century folk art boat-shaped mortar or grinder, perfect for the coffee today ;) ca 1830 Sweden.
Category
19th Century European Folk Art Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Wood
Old Brass Tool American Improved Spring Balance Hanging Scale 24 LB
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Scale
Old vintage tool brass hanging scale stamped American Improved Spring Balance 24 LB
Untested. Selling as is condition.
Measures: 9.25 tall x ...
Category
Early 20th Century American Industrial Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
1920s Red Johnson Scale Co. Stathmos Scale
Located in New York, NY
1920s large red Johnson Scale Co. Stathmos scale with wheels. This can be seen at our 400 Gilligan St location in Scranton, PA
Category
1920s American Industrial Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal
Fine French Carved Giltwood Barometer
Located in Westwood, NJ
An unusual and fine French carved giltwood barometer with military theme of carved instruments ad weaponry.
Category
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Scientific Instruments
Vintage, New and Antique Scientific Instruments
Decorating with vintage, new and antique scientific instruments, as well as other authentic collectibles and curiosities that can be found on 1stDibs, presents an opportunity to create a unique, natural history museum-like atmosphere in your home that can provoke conversation as often as it pays tribute to how far we’ve come in understanding our world.
The Age of Discovery (or the Age of Exploration) refers to a period during the 15th to 18th centuries that saw Europeans taking to the high seas to explore, trade and conquer various regions of the world. What we know about geography, the advancement of sea vessels and the development of scientific instruments all broadened significantly during this time.
With every new finding about our world, scientists invented tools to measure and record. While many of these objects are now obsolete, they are essentially works of art and have a rich history. Scientific instruments of a bygone era represent how far science and technology have advanced.
If you’re interested in introducing antique scientific instruments and tools to your decor to add contrast or draw attention to otherwise unexplored corners of your living room or dining room, there are many options to consider as far as textures and colors go. Like any curious decorative object that draws attention to your home library or mantel, vintage scientific instruments will likely add spirit to any conversation that might take place over cocktails or dinner.
Create an intriguing focal point with Georgian scientific instruments, such as stick barometers with mahogany cases or lacquered brass telescopes. These items stem from an era named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who ruled England in succession starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign, which lasted until 1837). Just as there was beautiful jewelry produced during the period that today is coveted by collectors, there is much to be found in the collectibles and curiosities realm too.
Mid-century modern scientific instruments also capture a period of rapid progress, representing groundbreaking discoveries that defined the 20th century. Wouldn’t antique anatomical models of the 1950s pair well with your eye-catching abstract paintings, George Nelson clock or Florence Knoll sofa?
Whether you’re looking for a way to showcase your passion for chemistry or aviation or are making room in your foyer for a breathtaking industrial-style electronic time tower manufactured by Patek Philippe, 1stDibs offers a collection of vintage, new and antique scientific instruments that includes topographic tools, laboratory equipment and more.
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