Skip to main content

Scientific Instruments

17
387
to
41
216
154
387
387
387
121
34
17
9
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
142
592
899
7
414
41
49
43
44
40
61
39
28
9
1
222
115
91
75
53
218
83
64
50
49
6
5
4
4
4
Scientific Instruments For Sale
Period: Mid-20th Century
Period: Late 20th Century
1950s Vintage Vornado Gray Electric Window Wall Fan
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1950s Vintage Wall Unit Vornado Industrial Gray Electric Window Fan 18 h 37 w (open) 25.5 w closed x 9.5 d Preowned unrestored vintage condition. Missing circle with label in center ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Vintage 1970s Vexilar Zoom Video Sonar Model 990 Nautical Ice Fishing 11"
Located in Dayton, OH
Rare vintage 1970s Vexilar Video-Sonar Model 990X. Serial Number 90430. Manufactured by BH Electronics for Vexilar Inc. The 990 was the top model, following the 330 and 660. "Model 990 zoom video sonar presents data on a cathode ray tube with a feature that allows the operator to zero in on any target between the surface and bottom or on the bottom itself. The operator can select and expand it to any one of the zoom sizes: 7.5, 15, 45, 90, and 180, each expressed in feet, fathoms, or meters. If, for example, the 15 ft zoom size is selected the full screen will show just that 15 ft. Model 990 reads depths to 1400 ft in five ranges and draws 12 watts in continual usage on 12v to 32v DC. A freeze-action feature allows the operator to hold a particular view on the screen indefinitely and a sea bed discrimination feature distinguishes fish and schools of fish from the bottom surface, according to the manufacturer. Measuring 10" by 7" by 8", the solid state unit weighs 12 lbs and has light intensity control and a sun screen...
Category

1970s Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

1964 Ray Simpson Original Teakwood Tool Rake Grate
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1960s Vintage Rake Tool Brush in Teakwood Modern Aluminum Grate Stamped Ray Simpson Original 1964 22.13 long x 3.88 w x 1.25 Preowned original vintage co...
Category

1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Aluminum

Antique Wood Flower Mold Two Hole
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Antique Wood Flower Mold Two Hole 8.25 w x 3 d x 1.75 Original vintage condition unrestored See all images provided.
Category

Mid-20th Century Industrial Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood

1970s German Sputnik Barometer Tabletop Sculpture Mid-Century Modernist Orb
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Very clean example, estate fresh to you. Wonderful design by Huger of W.Germany.
Category

1970s German Scandinavian Modern Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

Carl Zeiss Binoculars 3.5 X 15, in Leather Case
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Compact 3.5 x 15 Carl Zeiss Jena Binoculars. A good pair of small compact usable Carl Zeiss Jena hand held binoculars in original Zeiss leather case. The binoculars are marked, Carl ...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Scientific Instruments

Materials

Leather

Antique Mobil Dentist Rinsing Sink Stainless Steel, Belge
Located in Mortsel, BE
Elevate your space with this Antique Dentist Rinsing Sink crafted from stainless steel, showcasing Belgian craftsmanship. This unique piece is a testament to the bygone era of dentis...
Category

Mid-20th Century Belgian Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal, Steel

Midcentury Made Art Deco Style Bowl of Hygeia Symbol for Medicine / Pharmacy
Located in Lisse, NL
Unique, sizable and top quality workmanship 'pharmacy sign'. Some antiques you only find once in your life and we believe that we will never again find a handcrafted sign of such ra...
Category

Mid-20th Century European Art Deco Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass, Bronze

Mappin Paris 1950 Retro Multiuse Money Clip Sun Clock And Compass In Silver
Located in Miami, FL
Multiuse Money Clip Sun Clock And Compass designed by Mappin-Paris. Very unusual multiuse money clip, created in France by Mappin-Paris back in the 1950. In great shape and very ver...
Category

1950s French Industrial Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Silver

Pair of Molecular Atomic Structure Models for Didactic Use, Germany, 1940
Located in Milan, IT
Pair of molecular atomic structure models for chemical didactic use. The spheres are made of painted wood and represent atoms and a molecule. The base...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Postmodern Funnytime 105 Kitchen Timer by Roberto Pezzetta for Wikidue
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A whimsical Italian postmodern multicolor kitchen timer designed by Roberto Pezzetta for WikiDue. Stacked green, red and yellow discs give it a fun Me...
Category

Late 20th Century Post-Modern Scientific Instruments

Materials

Plastic

Anatomical model: human heart, Germany 1950.
Located in Milan, IT
Anatomical demontable model of an human heart made out of painted lattex mounted on a round black wooden base. Germany circa 1950.
Category

Mid-20th Century German Scientific Instruments

Materials

Latex, Wood

Pair of Glass Pharmacy Jars, Italy, 1930s
Located in Palermo, IT
Pair of glass pharmacy jars, Italy, 1930s Found in an old disused pharmacy. Good condition. One has an imperceptible chip on the edge. Being handcra...
Category

1930s Italian Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Glass

Ceramic Thermometer by Mithé Espelte with Flower Motif
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
Wall thermometer in ceramic by Mithé Espelt. Typical flower decor with the numeral indication of the temperature. Marie Thérèse Espelt, aka. Mithé Espelt (1923-2020) Born in the...
Category

1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Ceramic

Large Dramatic Streamlined Floor Fan
Located in Peekskill, NY
This is one of the most dramatic midcentury floor fan designs you will find. This example is extremely rare. It has the look of a Jet Engine. Its clean and works very well. It does s...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Streamlined Moderne Scientific Instruments

Materials

Aluminum

Nice Acupuncture Model Statue Sculpture, Composition on Wood Stand Vintage 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A decorative Acupuncture Model. Some wear with a nice patina. Made of composition, metal and a wooden stand. It is painted in different colors and covered with clear varnish. Found a...
Category

1960s German Modern Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Composition, Metal

Tellurium mechanical/electrical model of the solar system Phiwe Italian 1950s
Located in Milan, IT
Tellurium, i.e., mechanical/electrical model representative of the solar system, made of metal with green and gray hammered paint, lithographed tin globe, plastic Moon, and metal bas...
Category

1950s Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Rummy Grapefruit Soda Advertising Tin Thermometer Sign
Located in San Diego, CA
Vintage "Rummy Grapefruit Soda" advertising sign / thermometer, circa 1950s. The piece is in very good working condition with great color and graphics. A rare piece of soda memorabil...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Set of Two Mushrooms Scientific Models Europe , Germany 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
This rare vintage set of two different types of mushrooms, show Models which are native to middle Europe. This kind of items are used as teaching material in German schools. Colorful...
Category

1960s German Folk Art Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Paper, Wood

Seven Large Mid 20th Century German Brown Amber Glass Apothecary Jars with Lid
Located in Haarlem, NL
A decorative collection of seven extra large German 1930s-1940s apothecary jars in blown and pressed amber glass with pressed and blown glass lids. Once used for chemistry and pharmaceutical stuff, now very pretty as decoration set. Not jet antique...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Scientific Instruments

Materials

Glass, Blown Glass

1986 Enorme Telephone Handset by Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A perfectly postmodern telephone handset designed by the Memphis Milano master, Ettore Sottsass, and produced in 1986. The Enorme telephone was the result of a collaboration between Sottsass and David Kelley, founder of the design firm IDEO. Sottsass created the conceptual design, and Kelley and his team were responsible for the engineering and detail design. To produce the telephone, the two formed the Enorme Corporation with Jean Pigozzi. Examples of this phone design are found in the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, RISD Museum, and the Los Angeles County Museum. In vintage condition with wear consistent with age and use. This is the handset only and it has not been tested. Molded manufacturer's mark on handset and base: "Designed by Ettore Sottsass Enorme...
Category

Late 20th Century Post-Modern Scientific Instruments

Materials

Plastic

Vintage Bolex 280 Macrozoom Video Movie Camera & Case 1:1.8/7-56mm 11"
By Bolex
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage Bolex 280 Macrozoom video camera and case. Includes camera strap, remote shutter button, lens cap, rubber lens hood, and camera strap. Made in A...
Category

Late 20th Century Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Vintage Military Compass, American, Navigation Aid, Keuffel & Esser, 5600X Model
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage military compass. An American, aluminium and glass navigation aid by Keuffel & Esser, dating to the early 20th century, circa 1930. Fascinating example of the 5600...
Category

1930s American Other Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Aluminum

Swingline XI Electro-Pointer
Located in Sharon, CT
Important Machine Age Streamlined Electric Pencil Sharpener Designed by Edward G. Hoffmann.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Machine Age Scientific Instruments

Materials

Bakelite

1960’s plaster anatomical model of dogs brain, Phywe Germany
Located in Hoogeveen, NL
Rare old anatomical plaster model of the dog's brain. Beautiful details on a plastic/bakelite base. Worn (small cracks, base repare) but still in good condition as shown in the image...
Category

1960s German Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Bakelite, Plaster

Set of Cast Iron and Glass Rings c.1940 (FREE SHIPPING)
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT A set of three cast iron rings with smaller rings on top. Convex glass on both sides in each piece. CREATOR Unknown. DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1940-1960. MATERIALS AN...
Category

Mid-20th Century Industrial Scientific Instruments

Materials

Iron

Large Vintage Mongolian Wooden Math Abacus with Painted Wooden Balls
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Large Vintage Mongolian Wooden Math Abacus with Painted Wooden Balls. Item features Painted wooden balls in red, pink, gray, orange, blue, yellow, green and brown. Circa Mid 20th Cen...
Category

Mid-20th Century Chinese Export Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood

Antique French 1930 Art Deco Astrolabe chrome desk decoration kinetic sculpture
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Very decorative & most rare this antique Art Deco Astrolabe from the 1930s Made from polished chrome, with 5 turning rings and a large center sphere. This would make a stunning decorative piece on any desk or office space Amazing for collectors of scientific antiques The Astrolabe remains in great antique condition with only a minor patina on the metal Turns smoothly and looks great! This antique Astrolabe...
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Chrome

Anatomical model: a human skull model life size, Stuttgard, Germany 1930.
Located in Milan, IT
Human skull anatomical model life size 1:1 Model with cranial sutures detachable 2 parts plus three cervical vertebrae for medical educational aid. The skull and vertebrae are made o...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Scientific Instruments

Materials

Iron

Mid Century Revere S-16 16mm Sound Movie Projector w Case 22"
Located in Dayton, OH
Mid century Revere 16 sound projector with case. Working. Dimensions: 22"x 15.5" x 7.5"
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Vintage Pan Am Pan American World Airways Advertising Wall Barometer, 1960s
Located in Vienna, AT
A round and large mid-century wall-mounted barometer / weather station from the airline PAA Pan American World Airways. Dated around the 1960s. A high-quality product, made in Western Germany...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Early 20th Century Belgian Black Board, Chalkboard
Located in Udenhout, NL
Early 20th Century Belgian Black Board, Chalkboard, in a good state.
Category

1940s Belgian Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Slate

Volta's electrophore, demonstrator of the flow of electrons Italy 1960.
Located in Milan, IT
Volta's electrophore, demonstrator of the flow of electrons from inert materials to conducting materials. Taking the instrument composed of a disc of conductive metal and a handle of...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Nikon Lot N90 35mm Camera with MB-10 Grip SB-25 Flash MF-26 Control
Located in Dayton, OH
Lot includes Nikon N90s 35mm camera, MB-10 Multi Power Vertical Grip, SB-25 Speedlight flash, MF-26 Multi-Control Back, instruction books/original boxes, Complete User’s Guide Nikon ...
Category

Late 20th Century Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Large Mid-Century Italian Giorgio Armani Eye Glasses Factice Shop Display Piece
Located in Nuernberg, DE
This is a rare and unique item! The Armani Eyeglasses Factic for display in a shop comes with its original cardboard packaging and is made of metal a...
Category

1980s Italian Modern Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Mid Century Revere S-16 16mm Sound Movie Projector w Case 22"
Located in Dayton, OH
Mid century Revere 16 sound projector with case. Working. Dimensions: 22"x 15.5" x 7.5"
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Pair Of Large Antique Italian Globes
Located in Madrid, ES
Pair Of Large Antique Italian Globes Large pair of terrestrial and celestial globes from Italy 1940s. The globes are in good conditio...
Category

1940s Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood

Louis Xvi Style Carved Wood Paint and Parcel Gilt Barometer
Located in Nashville, TN
A pretty and highly decorative barometer of banjo form, marked ‘Palladio’ and Italy . Hand carved with leaves , ropes , fruit and flutes . The case probably having distressed fini...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Louis XVI Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood

Nikon AF Nikkor Camera Lens Set 28mm 50mm 85mm Speedlight Flash & Case
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage Nikon camera lens lot. Comes with Lightware case, 3 Nikon AF Nikkor 1:1.4D lenses (28mm, 85mm, and 50mm), Nikon Speedlight SB-28 flash, 4 Nikon lens hoods (HN-31, HK-&, HN-1...
Category

Late 20th Century Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Vintage Teaching Aid Modell of An Ear - Somso ca. 1960
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Vintage Teaching Aid Modell of An Ear - Somso ca. 1960 A folding model of an ear. Used as teaching material in German schools ca. 1960. Made of wood and plastic by Somso, Germany. ...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Scientific Instruments

Materials

Plaster, Wood, Paper

Pair Of Vintage Cased Opera Glasses, French, Brass, Binocular, Mid 20th Century
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a pair of vintage cased opera glasses. A French, brass and Mother of Pearl Galilean binocular, dating to the mid 20th century, circa 1950...
Category

1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

Nikon's Photomic FTn 35mm SLR Camera Fitted with Nikkor-H 50mm Prime Lens F2.0
Located in High Wycombe, GB
Nikon's Photomic FTn 35mm SLR Camera Fitted with Nikkor-H 50mm Prime Lens F2.0 With Brown Ever Ready case Great build quality, heavy weight camera made in Japan. In good working co...
Category

1960s Japanese Machine Age Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Chrome

Mid-Century English Inlaid Burlwood Barometer / Thermometer
Located in Germantown, MD
Mid-Century English Inlaid Burlwood Barometer / Thermometer. Clean vintage condition. Measures 8.5" in width, 33" in height and 2.25" in depth.
Category

Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood

US Navy Mark 74 Aiming Telescope
Located in Norwell, MA
1943 United States Navy Telescope. Used primarily as part of the Mark 16 Aiming System on 50 caliber anti-aircraft gun mounts. Fitted with three sun filters...
Category

1940s North American Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

1980s Green Bang & Olufsen Beocom 2000 Phone
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Designed in 1986 Lone and Gideon Lindinger-Lowy, the Bang & Olufsen Beocom 2000 telephone is Danish design at its finest, and the epitome of 1980s high-tec...
Category

Late 20th Century Post-Modern Scientific Instruments

Materials

Plastic

1970s Wooden Foldable School Abacus, Czechoslovakia
Located in Praha, CZ
Mid century wooden colorful abacus that was used in schools in the 1970s. Can be folded as shown in the pictures. Good original condition.
Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood

Vintage Drawing Instrument Set, German, Draughtsman's Tools, Schcenner, C.1930
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage drawing instrument set. A German, nickel draughtsman's tool case by Schcenner, dating to the mid 20th century, circa 1930. Fine German instrument set in fold-out carry case Displaying a desirable aged patina throughout Silver nickel presents a lightly tarnished appearance, commensurate with age Presented within a textured carry case with four fold design 8 pieces offering the essential tools for the travelling draughtsman Comprises a pair of compass, two bow compass and ruling pen...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Scientific Instruments

Materials

Nickel

French Pendulum Clock & Aneroid Barometer, circa 1960
Located in Labrit, Landes
Clock and aneroid barometer in walnut made circa 1960. The aneroid barometer (or holosteric barometer) was developed by the Frenchman Lucien Vidie who filed a patent for it in 1844 ...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal, Brass

Aircraft Design Wind Tunnel Scale Model of a Late 1960s GAC-100 Airliner
Located in London, GB
A 1/10 scale wind tunnel model of a GAC-100 Commuter airliner. Wingspan: 7ft (214 cm) The model is constructed out of laminated mahogany, and is built to the highest standards,...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Industrial Scientific Instruments

Materials

Mahogany

Ships Compass by John Hand of Philadelphia
Located in Norwell, MA
Wing bridge compass from a United States Navy vessel. The gray military paint has been stripped and the entire binnacle and compass have been meticulously polished and lacquered. The...
Category

1940s North American Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Brass

Vintage Draughtsman's Set, German, Drawing Instruments, Tools, Richter Pracision
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage draughtsman's set. A German, nickel silver drawing instrument set by E.O. Richter Präcision, dating to the mid 20th century, circa 1930. Five piece instrument set ...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Scientific Instruments

Materials

Nickel

1960s Tesla Speaker Ars450, Czechoslovakia
Located in Zohor, SK
Unique and original item. A speaker used in villages as a part of a local radio in Czechoslovakia. this piece in marked as Tesla ARS 450, 25W. We were no...
Category

1960s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

Vintage Safe Deposit Box In Steel, Czechoslovakia 1980s
Located in Zohor, SK
Step back in time with this remarkable vintage steel safe box, a testament to both craftsmanship and security. Crafted in the 1980s within the borde...
Category

1980s Slovak Mid-Century Modern Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Steel

Vintage Scientific Electrostatic Van de Graaff Electrostatic Generator Apparatus
Located in Lafayette, IN
Vintage Van de Graaff electrostatic generator apparatus by the Sargent Welch Scientific Instrument Company. This appears to be a manual version with our the ...
Category

1960s American Machine Age Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Aluminum

Mid-Century Georgian Style German Wall Barometer
Located in Germantown, MD
A 1960s decorative Georgian Style wall Barometer from West Germany. 28" tall.
Category

Mid-20th Century German Georgian Scientific Instruments

Materials

Wood

1970s Era Harmon-Kardon 330B with Matching Omni Directional Speakers
By bose
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This item is a classic Harmon-Kardon 330B receiver retrofitted with Bluetooth module and matched with period correct Harmon-Kardon Omni Direction speakers. The Harman-Kardon 330B was...
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Scientific Instruments

Materials

Metal

1986 Gray and Black Enorme Telephone by Ettore Sottsass for Enorme
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A perfectly postmodern telephone designed by the Memphis Milano master, Ettore Sottsass, and produced in 1986. The Enorme phone was produced in another color way but this is the much rarer gray and black version. The Enorme telephone was the result of a collaboration between Sottsass and David Kelley, founder of the design firm IDEO. Sottsass created the conceptual design, and Kelley and his team were responsible for the engineering and detail design. To produce the telephone, the two formed the Enorme Corporation with Jean Pigozzi. Examples of this phone design are found in the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, RISD Museum, and the Los Angeles County Museum. In good vintage condition with wear consistent with age and use. Works great! Molded manufacturer's mark on handset and base: "Designed by Ettore Sottsass Enorme...
Category

Late 20th Century Post-Modern Scientific Instruments

Materials

Plastic

Vintage Erskine 200 Sterilized Barber Shop Shaving Brush
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Vintage ERSKINE 200 Sterilized Barber Shop SHAVING BRUSH Nylon Bristles Rubber Stamped Sterile 200 4.5 tall x 1.38 diameter Preowned original vintage...
Category

1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Scientific Instruments

Materials

Nylon, Rubber

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.

Recently Viewed

View All