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Scientific Instruments For Sale
1970's Vintage Olivetti Lettera 35 Typewriter
By Olivetti
Located in San Carlos, CA
Beautiful vintage 1970's Olivetti Lettera 35 typewriter, made in Italy. This typewriter comes with a very cool vintage Olivetti shoulder bag.
This typewriter is in very good cosmeti...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal
Brass Lorgnettes 'Long-Handled Opera Glasses' Mid-Century Italian Design 1930s
Located in Palermo, IT
A splendid pair of 'lorgnettes' (long-handled opera, or theatre, glasses). Lorgnettes, eye glasses held in place by long handles rather than resting on the bridge of one's nose, were...
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
Brass Framed Monumental Sized Magnifying Glass with Natural Horn Handle
Located in Savannah, GA
This monumental sized horn handled magnifying glass with brass framework and stem, is of heavy weight and fine quality. The horn is quite substantial and supports this very large gla...
Category
Early 1900s German Black Forest Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
Refinished Gerstner & Sons Machinist's Toolbox
Located in New York, NY
Gerstner & Sons is a renowned American company with a long history of manufacturing high-quality tool chests and wooden cases. The company was founded in 1906 by Harry Gerstner in Da...
Category
20th Century American Industrial Scientific Instruments
Materials
Felt, Faux Leather, Oak
Solid Brass Ships Telephone On Pedesta
Located in Norwell, MA
Highly polished brass ships telephone on pedestal. Meticulously polished andl lacquered head by Hose-McCann Telephone Co, Inc., Brooklyn New York. Type A, model WTP, with phone insid...
Category
1920s North American Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
Vintage Specimen Collector's Chest of Drawers, French, Walnut Desk Box, Art Deco
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage specimen collector's chest of drawers. A French, solid walnut four drawer executive desk box, dating to the Art Deco period, circa 1930.
Exceptional figuring and f...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Scientific Instruments
Materials
Walnut
Weather Station in Art Nouveau Style Carved Walnut C. Engel & Cie Verviers
Located in Verviers, BE
Wall-mounted weather station in carved walnut made in Verviers Belgium by C. Engel & Cie Opticiens Verviers
High quality mechanism with jeweled movement barometer and thermometer (in...
Category
1910s Belgian Art Nouveau Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Walnut
French 18th Century Louis XVI Gilt Barometer
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A 18th Century Louis XVI French gold-gilt barometer circa 1780. This early instrument of meteorology was used to measure atmospheric pressure and air temperature. The barometer is adorned with hand carved details; a large bow, flowers, a flaming heart, laurel leaves and scrolls. The dial face is hand-painted and has been repaired over time. The barometer is no longer in working order and is now purely decorative. Be sure to view the detailed images to see this interesting antique up...
Category
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal, Gold Leaf
English Pathologist Box Made of Mahogany with Brass, Including Instruments
Located in Dusseldorf, DE
Curious antique English box made of mahogany with brass details, inside which are the working instruments of a pathologist. The division of the interior of the box is covered in red ...
Category
19th Century British Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal, Brass
Charles and Ray Eames Molded Plywood Leg Splint for Evans in Original Wrapper
Located in Chicago, IL
These leg splints were designed by Charles and Ray Eames and produced for the United States Navy by the Evans Products Company, molded plywood division. They're still in their origin...
Category
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Plywood
Italian Artist's Mannequin from the 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
This elegant Italian artist's mannequin from approximately 1900 is a beautiful representation of craftsmanship from the 19th century. Crafted from solid fruitwood, it stands as a tes...
Category
Early 1900s Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Fruitwood
Anatomical Model an External and Inner Ear, France 1890
Located in Milan, IT
Anatomical model for class, depicting an external and inner ear, made out of painted papier mache’ mounted on black painted wood. France circa 1890.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Plaster, Fruitwood
Sailing ship's pulley fiddle block
Located in London, GB
An early 19th century Naval oak fiddle pulley block, with two wood sheaves.
Marked with Roman Numerals: XXVIIII
In sailing, a block is a single or multiple pulley. One or a number ...
Category
Early 19th Century English Industrial Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Oak
Italian Artist's Mannequin from the 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
This elegant Italian artist's mannequin from approximately 1900 is a beautiful representation of craftsmanship from the 19th century. Crafted from solid fruitwood, it stands as a tes...
Category
Early 1900s Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Fruitwood
Italian Artist's Mannequin from the 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
This elegant Italian artist's mannequin from approximately 1900 is a beautiful representation of craftsmanship from the 19th century. Crafted from solid fruitwood, it stands as a tes...
Category
Early 1900s Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Fruitwood
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
19th Century Medical Specimen
Located in London, GB
A 19th Century medical specimen, with articulated jaw and removable mandible and cranium cap. This example is of an old, aged female specimen as witho...
Category
1860s Unknown Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Natural Fiber
Mahogany Cased Barograph
Located in Cheshire, GB
Mahogany cased barograph, having five glazed removable lid, and a drawer below to house the charts. The mechanical eight-day movement is housed in the drum, fitted with a seven-day c...
Category
Late 19th Century British Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Mahogany
English Porcelain Mortar and Pestle #7
Located in Garnerville, NY
Porcelain mortar and pestle. Signed on the underside with the size #7, Acid Proof, Made in England. Wood handled pestle. Great for use in the kitchen, artist's studio or office. It d...
Category
1950s English Rustic Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Paste, Porcelain
Antique Brass Czech Orrery Astronomical Instruments Made by Jan Felkl in 1870
By Jan Felkl
Located in Milan, IT
Antique brass orrery planetarium made for the German market by Jan Felkl Prag in the second half of the nineteenth century. Cast iron base, papier mâché´ globe, with detailed territorial map and oceanic currents. Very good condition. Measures: Length 75 cm - 29.5 inch, height 48 cm - 18.8 inch, width 28 cm - 11 inch.
Shipping in insured by Lloyd's London and the gift box is free (look at the last picture).
Jan Felkl (1817-1878) was born in Bohemia and already in 1840 he had designed some globes in 6 different sizes. During the following 20 years he became the biggest maker of globes in market Austro-Hungarian, making terrestrial and celestial globes in 17 different languages, lunar globes and planetaria.
Felkl showed his globes at international fairs in 1867 in Paris and in 1873 in Vienna. He established his Geographic and lithographic Institute in Prague for Making globes and maps. In 1870 he moved his factory from Prague to Roztok and his youngest son became his partner in the firm now named Felkl & Son, making globes and selling them all over the Europe and also in the Usa.
Shipping is insured by Lloyd's London; our gift box is free (look at the last picture).
The orrery is the most detailed and complex representation of the cosmos and in addition to the movement of stars,it includes movement of the sun, moon and planets, like a giant clock mechanism. Among these devices one of the oldest was an orrery by Archimedes, which Cicero speaks widely in Tusculanae Disputationes I, 63: when Roman troops sacked Syracuse in 212 BC, the consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus in Rome brought the instrument of Archimedes, who, thanks to his ability and divine intelligence that he possessed, had managed to generate the motions of planets, each so different, from a single rotation.
Because of heliocentric system theorized by Copernicus, it was possible to create mechanical antique orreries...
Because of heliocentric system theorized by Copernicus, it was possible to create mechanical antique orreries...
Category
1860s Czech Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Iron
Didactic atomic structure of zinc-iron sulfide Czech production 1950s
Located in Milan, IT
Atomic structure for educational use of zinc-iron sulfide, made of metal with Bakelite spheres painted gray and yellow.
It is an inorganic compound found naturally in wurtzite, a mi...
Category
1950s Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal
Didactic atomic structure of graphite made Czech manufacture circa 1950s
Located in Milan, IT
Atomic structure for educational use of graphite made metal with black Bakelite spheres. Czechoslovakian manufacture of the 1950s.
Good condition, Measures 28x28x20 cm - inches 11...
Category
1950s Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal
Large Estate Solid Iron Mortar And Pestle, Circa 1930's-1940's.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Large Estate Solid Iron Mortar And Pestle, Circa 1930's-1940's. Very heavy and substantial piece.
Mortar
H = 10.25 inches
Dia = 6.5 inches
Pestle
H = 10.25 inches
Dia = 2 inches
Category
Early 20th Century American Scientific Instruments
Materials
Iron
1920's Gladstone Bag
Located in Eindhoven, NL
1920's Gladstone Bag in perfect condition. The bag closings are in perfect shape and condition and everything works perfectly. The bag has some minor spots but for the age of the bag...
Category
Early 20th Century British Scientific Instruments
Materials
Leather
21th Century Solid Silver Ruler By Richard O.A Jarvis, England, c.2003
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
An early 21st century novelty "Premier Rule" measuring ruler with all the British Prime Ministers listed from Sir Robert Walpole 1721 up until Tony Blair 1997. It is made of solid silver, featuring centimeter and inch measuring markers. Presented in a beautiful original box. Hallmarked English Silver (925 standard), London, year 2003 (d), Maker Richard O.A. Jarvis (Richard Jarvis...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary British Scientific Instruments
Materials
Silver
Early 19th Century Negretti and Zambra Bakelite Weather Forecaster
Located in Norwich, GB
19th century Negretti and Zambra Bakelite Weather Forecaster.
Housed in a black metal case with a cream coloured bakelite front plate.
The dial with barometer scale, hand turned ind...
Category
1910s English Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Bakelite
CURTA Type II Mechanical Calculator
Located in Mexico City, MX
An important CURTA Type II mechanical calculator by Cortina Ltd. Mauren. Made in Liechtenstein, manufactured in april 1954. Serial number 503108. Black body with 11 digits for data e...
Category
1950s Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal
Brass and Bakelite telescopic acoustic cornet England early 1900s
Located in Milan, IT
Telescopic acoustic cornet made of brass and Bakelite , English manufacture of the early 1900s.
The principle of its operation is based on the reflection of sound on the inner walls,...
Category
Early 1900s Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
Early 19th c.Medical Teaching Device- Shadowboxed Wax Fetus Models c.1800-1850
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT
Two early 19th century British wax models of a fetuses with attached placenta. Used as a medical teaching device. Numbered and attached to a velvet background. In a sealed woo...
Category
Early 19th Century Mid-Century Modern Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Wood, Velvet
20th Century Edwardian Solid Silver Map Reading Tool, London, c.1908
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique early-20th Century Edwardian very rare solid silver map reading tool, with a magnifying glass, compass and distance measure, one side in English the other in Russian, present...
Category
20th Century British Edwardian Scientific Instruments
Materials
Silver
c.1800 Portable English Orrery by W. Robinson
Located in Greenlawn, NY
c.1800 Portable English Orrery by W. Robinson
The circular base is covered with a brightly decorated polychrome paper that shows the astrological houses, the months, visual displays...
Category
Early 1800s English Other Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
Large Antique Double Barel Victorian Brass Tripod Telescope London 1915
Located in Sofia, BG
20th Century large antique double barel Victorian brass telescope raised on a foldable wooden tripod made in London in 1915.
Very good original condition.
Category
Early 20th Century English Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
Late 19th C Gemstone Mineral & Semi Precious Stone Specimens Display Case Curio
Located in Lowestoft, GB
Just the most wonderful collection of mineral specimens, housed in there original birds eye maple case.
Each specimen is encased in a hand blown glass convex vial, along with a corr...
Category
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Natural Fiber, Birdseye Maple, Pine
Mortaio in bronzo, Veneto, XVI° secolo
Located in Brescia, IT
Mortaio in bronzo fuso a cera persa con corpo delineato da un gran numero di cornici parallele e susseguenti che ne delimitano la circonferenza; e ornato con motivi vegetali di deriv...
Category
16th Century Italian Renaissance Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Bronze
19th century thermometer in original case
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
19th century thermometer in original case circa 1890.
Fine quality thermometer which measures between -45 degrees centigrade and +50. In ful...
Category
Late 19th Century Swedish Victorian Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Glass
Antique Victorian Art Nouveau Cast Brass Wall Hanging Alcohol Thermometer 8.5"
Located in Dayton, OH
Late 19th century Victorian brass wall hanging thermometer. Simple art nouveau styling with scallops and flowers. Indicates temperatures up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and 50 degrees C...
Category
Late 19th Century Art Nouveau Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
1900s European Glass Beaker Stand
Located in High Point, NC
An intriguing and unique accent, this vintage lab-ware stand holds various vintage technical glassware. Industrial, utilitarian, and scientific, yet also playful and curious, this vi...
Category
20th Century European Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal
Large Set of 8 Vintage Lab Sieves, English, Brass, Stacking, Scientific, C.1965
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a large set of 8 vintage laboratory sieves. An English, brass stacking scientific apparatus, dating to the mid 20th century, circa 1965.
Fascinating set with superb period a...
Category
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
18th Century French Louis XVI Carved Giltwood Wall Barometer & Thermometer
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a wall with this elegant, antique barometer with attached thermometer. Crafted in Paris, France, circa 1760 and hexagonal in shape, the scientific instrument features its or...
Category
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Glass, Giltwood, Parchment Paper
Small Antique Pharmacist's Measuring Cup, English, Glass, Apothecary, Victorian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a small antique pharmacist's measuring cup. An English, glass and leather apothecary measure, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 190...
Category
Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Glass
19th Century Brass and Wooden Jewelry Scale
Located in High Point, NC
Loyally underhand for quickly weighing out gemstones and precious medals, this trustworthy sidekick was once the prized tool for the detailed work of the jeweler. Made in France in t...
Category
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
Mortar with pestle. Bronze. Spanish school, 17th century.
Located in Madrid, ES
Mortar with pestle. Bronze. Spanish school, 17th century.
Bronze mortar with a convex mouth, a raised base facing outwards and a cylindrical body decorated on the outside with relie...
Category
17th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Bronze
20th Century Czech Set of 3 Wooden Decoration
Located in High Point, NC
This striking set of three wooden decorations from the 20th century is a fine example of Czech craftsmanship. Each piece, unique in height, features a minimalist design that showcase...
Category
20th Century Czech Scientific Instruments
Materials
Wood
20th Century Central European Glass Beaker Stand
Located in High Point, NC
An intriguing and unique accent, this vintage lab-ware stand holds various vintage technical glasswares. Industrial, utilitarian, and scientific, yet also playful and curious, this v...
Category
20th Century European Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal
Primitive Antique Hand Carved Stone Water Filter Mexico
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Rustic hand carved stone water filter
14 h x 11.5
Unrestored original antique vintage condition
See all images for details.
Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Rustic Scientific Instruments
Materials
Stone
Dutch Opera glasses by J.M.Schmidt, Amsterdam, ca 1890
Located in Delft, NL
Dutch Opera glasses by J.M.Schmidt, Amsterdam, ca 1890
Mother of pearl Opera glasses with brass adjustable in degrees and length for visibility. The name and address of the optician...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
20th Century Central European Glass Beaker Stand
Located in High Point, NC
An intriguing and unique accent, this vintage lab-ware stand holds various vintage technical glasswares. Industrial, utilitarian, and scientific, yet also playful and curious, this v...
Category
20th Century European Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal
Telescope with Adjustable Wooden Legs and Patinated Brass Hardware
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Telescopes are a terrific decorative addition to any den, library or study. A compliment to any Ralph Lauren, rustic or studious environment, ours has all wooden adjustable legs with...
Category
20th Century Rustic Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
20th Century Central European Glass Beaker Stand
Located in High Point, NC
An intriguing and unique accent, this vintage lab-ware stand holds various vintage technical glasswares. Industrial, utilitarian, and scientific, yet also playful and curious, this v...
Category
20th Century European Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal
Dr Forbes Specifications Bath Thermometer
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Dr Forbes Specifications Bath Thermometer
A great piece, the thermometer has a beech Case so that it can be floated to show the numerical temperature and also the recommended from
...
Category
Early 1900s Edwardian Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Beech
Oak barometer
Located in Cheshire, GB
Carved oak barometer, the shaped carved oak frame with rectangular thermometer above the silvered dial inscribed J. Durkin, Middlesbrough, encased in copper frame.
Dimensions
Height ...
Category
Early 20th Century British Scientific Instruments
Materials
Oak
Vintage Steel Laboratory Beaker Stand
Located in High Point, NC
An intriguing and unique accent, this vintage lab-ware stand holds three round-bottomed flasks. Once used as a tool for conducting laboratory analysis or experimentation, the globe-l...
Category
20th Century Belgian Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal
Small brass compass supplied to the US army during ww2
Located in Milan, IT
Small brass travel compass, issued to the U.S. Army during World War I, shaped like an onion pocket watch, an instrument consisting of a magnetized needle free to rotate in a horizon...
Category
1910s Vintage Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
Vintage Steel Laboratory Beaker Stand
Located in High Point, NC
An intriguing and unique accent, this vintage lab-ware stand holds three round-bottomed flasks. Once used as a tool for conducting laboratory analysis or experimentation, the globe-l...
Category
20th Century Belgian Scientific Instruments
Materials
Metal
Mid-century Dental Phantom Head Model on Custom Stand c.1960s (FREE SHIPPING)
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT
A mid-century dental school practice head, known as a dental phantom head, with aluminum skull, articulating mouth and solid steel custom sta...
Category
Mid-20th Century Industrial Scientific Instruments
Materials
Aluminum, Steel
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
Copper & brass fuel measures by Sutherland Astell
Located in London, GB
Two copper and brass metric "Checkpump" fuel measures by Sutherland Astell, circa 1950.
Made for the County Borough of Blackpool.
Marked: 10 and 20 litres, at 20°.
20L, Height: 23...
Category
Mid-20th Century English Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass, Copper
Oversize steelbridge scale for butcher's use, Kingdom of Sardinia 1800.
Located in Milan, IT
Figurative brass Butcher’s weighbridge. Weighs up to 44 pounds. Complete of main “ Romano” principal weight and additionals “Romanos” for detailed weight. Pedimont and Sardinia King...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Scientific Instruments
Materials
Brass
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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