Surveyors, astronomers, navigators, architects, engineers and draughtsmen, in short all scientific and technical practitioners, have certains tools of the trade in common. All need to draw accurately, whether it is land boundaries on a map, coordinates on a star  or the design for a steam engine, and all need calculate. To meet these demands, there evolved drawing instruments and calculating instruments.

In www.globe-antique.com, you can see a selection of instruments used for technical drawing, geometrical engraving, calculating instruments and the making of graduated divisions.

The craftsman was often attached to some princely court. The finish of  his work was then of a very high order; examples are a silver compasses and gold rules that have survived.

The case for the instruments contained at least a ruler, a pencil holder, drawing pens and compasses.
It was sometimes richly decorated; there exist compass boxes of copper, gilded and engraved, with sides decorated with sundials and allegorical pictures.

Some of  the most famous makers of instruments of the most prestigious instruments were , Butterfield, George Adams, Canivet, Benjamin Martin, Cary, Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas Delure …

If you are looking for a particular piece please contact us at globe-antique.com, we constantly renew our collection.