Engraved Scientific Instruments

An antique and large drug store apothecary show globe offers tear drop form glass globe having overall floral etched design and housed in a bronzed metal frame with engraved acanthus...

Antique English walnut and brass engraved postal scale, circa 1860.

A good example of a Butterfield design brass pocket sundial by Menant, Paris, presented in the original fishskin case. Circa 1735

This interesting and rare 18th Century astronomy print represents an eclipse of the Sun and one of the Moon. Entitled " The Zodiac and Eclyptics", it explains what the Zodiac is and its main uses. The french texts develop numerous observations on the Zodiac. In the centre we find the illustrations of the different eclipses. The text and the drawing are surrounded by an engraved frame made up of various plants and shell motifs but also of scientific objects...

Pocket Globe Newton London, 1860 circa The globe is contained in a cylindrical box of turned and stained wood. It measures: the globe 3 in (7,6 cm) in diameter; the box 3.54 in...

A good example of an Martin of Augsberg equinoctial pocket sundial in original leather and velvet lined case. The well engraved dial has silvered hour ring and gilt brass with a numb...

Stunning design and top quality carved antique barometer. This late 1800s English wall barometer has everything that makes an antique worthwhile. The quality of the workmanship is s...

Cary’s Pocket globe, agreeable to the latest discoveries, London: J&W Cary, Strand, April 1791 A rare 3 inch diameter example of Cary’s pocket globe in a superb green shagreen-cover...

A fine and rare 18th century English terrestrial and celestial pocket globe by Nathaniel Hill in its original black pebbled fish skin case dated 1754 titled "A new Terrestrial GLOBE ...

An English brass and wood S. Mordan & Co of London scale from the second half of the 19th century, with weights and label. Crafted in England by high quality manufacturer S. Mordan & Co. London, this small brass scale was used to weigh letters to determine the postage required for their destination. Presenting weights in the front as well as a label identifying the company, the scale is inscribed with the postage rates on one of the plateaux. Resting on petite bun feet, this English brass postal scale...

This antique horse dealer's cane was made in England by most likely Joseph Hicks and dates to the 1890s and done in the period, high Victorian style. The cane handle is a carved root...

The ultimate 17th century traveler's companion, this rare and exquisite equatorial sundial by Michael Butterfield (1635-1724) is one of the first reliable and portable methods of telling time. The silver oval-form plate is meticulously engraved with indicators of the hours for specific latitudes of 42, 46, 49 and 52 degrees, which are divided in 15-degree increments that account for the rotation of the earth during a 24-hour period. In order to operate the sundial, the user must position the plate at a parallel angle that equals the local latitude. The gnomon, or pointer, must be pointed toward true north in order to give accurate time. Butterfield sundials are known for their hinged, adjustable gnomons that feature a diminutive bird, as displayed in the present example. The reverse of the sundial plate is engraved with the latitudes for various French and European locations, which makes using the sundial easier to manipulate. Butterfield sundials are known as "semi-universal" horizontal dials, meaning that it can be used at different latitudes, but not in the full range of 0 to 90 degrees. Though Butterfield was not the inventor of this type of dial, the precision of his workmanship and the tell-tale bird gnomon became synonymous with this type of sundial. To find an example in such pristine condition that was made by and signed by Butterfield is quite exceptional. About Michael Butterfield Michael Butterfield was a British clockmaker who moved to Paris in the early 1660s. His portable sundials...