French Scientific Instruments

A truly stunning pair of French Opera glasses made from polished brass and clad with shell. This pair comes with a telescopic lorgnette handle and folds away nicely when not if use....

A stylish pair of antique binoculars. By Marquise of Paris. With relatively low-power magnification, chromed brass, curved eye cups, and leather ...

The binoculars are clad in a lovely embossed leather remaining in excellent condition, now over 100 years old and a true antique. They have integral sun shades. When closed up they ...

An antique French intricate brass balance with different weights in solid brass, in good condition. The iron scale is topped with the original polished brass plates. The scale reads ...

This elegant 19th-century French barometer is a beautifully crafted antique weather instrument housed in an octagonal giltwood frame. The a...

A truly superb pair of blue enamel opera glasses with intricate inlay and polished Mother of Pearl trim. The metalware retains it's original gilding. They have a telescopic lorgnet...

A dentist chair Type III, series 3266 by J. Corno, Union Frimor, France ca. 1920 The heavy chair has the color in a mahogany look with gold line. The chair has leather headrests a...

Antique Drawing Instrument Set in Rosewood Box, France, 1900. A wonderful set of drawing instruments / calipers / compasses to draw and dr...

French brass and polished steel telescope with removable lens cap, spotting scope, and mounted on folding tripod stand, 19th Century. Signed on focal tube by prolific telescope make...

Absolutely exquisite pair of operable mother of pearl high quality luxury French Opera Glasses with fancy lorgnette style handle and metal mounts. Premium mother of pearl and only th...

Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...

Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...

Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...

Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...

Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...

A 19th century French counter or grocer’s scale with two brass trays mounted on a white marble top. This wonderful antique instrument was used to measure various ingredients and prod...

Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...

Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...

Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...

Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...

Male anatomical model in painted stuccoed fiber. First half of the 20th century. Beautiful patina. Height: 30 cm.

Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...

Having a large weighing surface and a smaller side for weights.

French Louis XVI-style bronze wall barometer with an urn finial top with a head above the round dial and draped with a ribbon design.

AMBIANIC presents Vintage Colmont FT Paris binoculars Colmont a French optical company known for producing high-quality binoculars  leather-covered body maker stamp present 7.75 x 5 ...

This pair of antique lorgnette opera glasses were made by LeRoy of France in approximately 1880 in the period Victorian style. These bi...

A refined and elegant pair of late 19th century French opera glasses, crafted by the esteemed maker Lefils Paris. Exquisitely detailed in bronze doré and inlaid with glowing mother o...

A large and impressive 19th century French brass library telescope marked A. Bardou, Paris. (Denis Albert Bardou; 1841 - 1893) The telescope mounted on a brass and cast iron tripod ...

A French bronze armillary sphere depicting Atlas carrying the world from the late 19th century with verdigris patina. Created in France during the last quarter of the 19th century, t...

This is an antique vineyard setter's compass. A French, brass surveyor's instrument with mahogany case and stand, dating to the late Victorian period, c...

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 ...

Ptolemaic armillary sphere Charles-François Delamarche Paris, ante 1798 Wood and papier-mâché covered with printed and partly hand-colored paper It measures 16.37 in in height x Ø 10.94 in (41.60 cm - Ø 27.80 cm) It weights 2.33 lb (1,058 g) State of conservation: consistent with its age and use, the paper shows some signs of use, stains and abrasions. The sphere is Ptolemaic, with the Earth placed at its center, surrounded by the Moon and the Sun mounted on two metal arms. The sphere is composed of six horizontal and two vertical rings (armillae), each bearing graduations and its own name. The first horizontal ring is illegible. The others, in descending order are: North Pole, Tropic of Cancer, Equator, Tropic of Capricorn, South Pole. The vertical rings consist of two double meridians. The sphere is then connected to the large meridian by two pins, a vertical ring inserted perpendicularly into the circle of the Horizon, in turn supported by four semicircles connected to the turned and black-stained wooden base. Each element is covered with printed paper. It contains various pieces of information: latitudes, length of days, names and zodiac symbols, calendar, wind directions, etc. The vertical circles mention the latitudes and longitudes of different cities: Rome, Bordeaux, Madrid, Boston, Batavia (Jakarta), Acapulco, etc. Even the small terrestrial globe is covered with printed paper: continents and oceans appear with numerous geographical markings indicating the most recent explorations. In the Pacific Ocean, west of South America bears the following inscription: GLOBE TERRESTRIAL à Paris chez Delamarche Géog Rue du Foin Jacques Au Collège de M.e Gervais The North American coasts are well delineated and California appears correctly as a peninsula - reports from Spanish explorers in the region had given rise to confusion as to whether it was connected to the mainland or not. The geographical nature of California was confirmed after the explorations of Juan Bautista de Anza (1774-1776). Alaska is not described and is only partially traced; it would become part of the United States in 1867. Various Pacific islands are indicated. Australia (the name definitely used from 1824) is called "Nouvelle Hollande." Tasmania is still represented as a peninsula and this is an important detail for the dating of our armillary sphere. The island is separated from Australia by Bass Strait, which was crossed by Matthew Flinders for the first time in 1798, showing that it was not a peninsula. Delamarche certainly would not have waited a long time to update such an important geographical datum: presumably he did so shortly after receiving the news. Charles-François Delamarche (1740-1817) founded his laboratory around 1770 and, in a few years, he became the most famous French cartographer and globe maker between the 18th and 19th centuries. After having acquired the laboratory of the late Didier Robert de Vaugondy (1723-1786; himself a renowned cartographer who continued the family business founded by his grandfather Nicolas Sanson in the seventeenth century) and after having purchased, between 1788 and around 1800, the businesses of Jean-Baptiste Fortin (1750-1831) and Jean Lattré (around 1750-1800), he began to call himself "Successeur de MM. Sanson and Robert de Vaugondi, Géographes du Roi and de M. Fortin, Ingénieur-mécanicien du Roi pour les globes et les sphères." Thus, at the end of the eighteenth century, Delamarche possessed the warehouse stocks, as well as the manufacturing skills of the globes of his main rivals in Paris. In addition to this aggressive acquisition policy, the key to its success also lay in the combination of high-quality cartography combined with extremely attractive globes and armillary spheres; and, of course, its famous red paint finishing touch. His laboratory was located on Rue de Foin St Jacques "au Collège Me. (or "Mtre") Gervais" in the Latin Quarter of Paris until around 1805, when he moved to rue du Jardinet No. 13. On the death of Charles-François in 1817, the reins of the company passed to his son Félix (1779-1835), who continued to publish, often in collaboration with the engraver Charles Dien, Sr. In 1835 the company first moved to rue du Jardinet No. 12 and a little later to rue du Battoir No. 7. Bibliography: Dekker, Elly, et al. Globes at Greenwich...

Having a double trestle base and a threaded press, the surface with a raised edge and a drain spout.

This is amazing! It is a 19th century French Louis XVI style carved giltwood barometer. The crest appears to be a carved armillary of some sort with cascading laurel leaves and branc...

Beautiful set of early 1900s surgical instruments, including an amputation saw stamped A. GOUGEON and a complete Renault trepan with its accessories (rare). Overall in good condition...

French Victorian mother of pearl and brass opera glasses with handle

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...

Ptolemaic armillary sphere Charles-François Delamarche Paris, ante 1798 Wood and papier-mâché covered with printed and partly hand-colored paper It measures 15.55 in in height x Ø 10...

Set of 5 Antique French Bronze (Apothecary) Metric Weights with Original Wooden Block, Circa 1880 A handsome and authentic set of 19th-century French bronze metric weights, housed i...

A gold, large antique French Louis XVI period barometer, signed by Torricelli in gilded wood and of oval shape with original scientific illustrations, in good condition. The detailed wall décor piece is consisting its original glass. Framed with gilt foliate trim and important pediment. Minor fading, due to age. Wear consistent with age and use, circa 1750, France. The Italian scientist Evangelista Torricelli...

Standing at 21 inches in height, this set of large late nineteenth century French solid brass scales features two hanging brass pans that hang from chains. Six accompanying gram wei...

This is a vintage cased monocular. A French, enamelled brass and leather viewing scope, dating to the Art Deco period, circa 1930. Delightful field monocular, with 8 x 30 magnificat...

Pretty as a picture and in outstanding condition, this lovely pair of early twentieth century opera glasses come complete with their original case (wear commensurate with age). Th...

19th century French Giltwood and Verre Eglomise Barometer. The barometer frame is richly decorated with bouquets of flowers, vine branches, shells and palm leaves. The Eglomisé Dial ...

Modernist Barometer, French, circa 1930's, well designed, working order.

Celestial table globe Charles-François Delamarche Paris, 1791 It measures: 17.13 in in height, Ø max 27.7 in; the sphere Ø 7.09 in (h 43.5 cm x Ø max 27.7 cm; the sphere Ø 18 cm). W...

Antique and rare magnetic surveying compass, brass with original wooden box, signed E. Vion Paris, early 1900. Very good condition. Height of box cm 32 – inches 12.61. The firm Vion, that still works today, was established in 1830 in Paris and it has always manufactured navigation equipment, in particular compasses and marine instruments...

Very beautiful French opera glasses in Mop and brass dating from the beginning of the 20th century. Central wheel to approach or move away the view. Flammarion brand stamp on the to...

This exquisite 18th-century French barometer, crafted in 1778 by Charles Desnioulin (Signed), is a true masterpiece of both science and art. The finely carved wood frame, adorned wi...

Study camera with bellows in very good condition, two objectives and mounted on easel on casters for professional use that has crank for the adjustment of the camera in height and in...

This set of antique ceramic water filters was crafted in Provence, France, circa 1870. Originally designed as promotional display pieces for a French pharmacy, each vessel advertises...

This set of late nineteenth century French iron and bronze butcher's scales is double faced and features the coat of arms of the city of Paris flanked by the messenger god Mercury an...

A fine pair of French enamel, brass and mother of pearl opera glasses, pink enamelled and jewelled barrels, with mother of pearl caps. Go...

This Classic, antique scale with original plates was created in Dijon France, circa 1870. Rectangular in shape, the fruit wood scale embellished with marquetry fillet decor, features...

A gorgeous French 19th century painted and gold gilt barometer with thermometer. The elegantly carved giltwood surrounding the French gray-painted case is in a rococo and laurel leaf...

This rare paradoxical planetarium demonstrates the rotation and revolution motion of the system of the planet Jupiter and the Medici satellites. The base is made of ebonized fruit wo...

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...

Terrestrial globe published in the 1940s by Girard Barrère et Thomas 17, Rue de Buci Paris. Turned wooden base, papier mâché sphere covered with paper printed by engraving on copper ...

Louis XVI Giltwood Barometer-Thermometer, French, late 18th Century, made by Duvaldestin in Dijon, France Elegantly carved from limewood and water-gilt in burnished and matte gold, t...

Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...