Accession No

0446

Brief Description

carpenter’s rule, 1648

Origin

Maker

Class

mathematics

Earliest Date

1648

Latest Date

1648

Inscription Date

1648

Material

wood (boxwood); metal (lead)

Dimensions

length 314mm; breadth 40mm; thickness 7mm

Special Collection

Robert Whipple collection

Provenance

Purchased from T.H. Court in 05/1927. ‘from Major Goodall’s collection,’ according to the accession register.

Inscription

‘1648’ (reverse)

Description Notes

Wooden carpenter’s rule, 1648.

Boxwood rule with lead ends. Obverse has scale of inches along each end divided [0] - [12] numbered by 1 subdivided to 1/8. Reverse has unequal scale starting on one edge and continuing on the other, divided [6.5] - 36 numbered 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14 ... 24, 36. Also timber scales. Rather crude engraving on front and back.

Condition fair (missing 2 lead lugs at one end); complete

References

Events

Description
Scale Rule
A straight rule with a scale engraved along the length is the simplest instrument for making linear measurements, and has been used since antiquity. However, scale rules were not commonly used for making scale drawings until around 1550 in Northern Europe. Anthropomorphic dimensions such as the foot were commonly used for the scale.

Scale rules can be straight or folding and often have even scales on one side and diagonal scales on the other, which enable the user to divide any measurement into 100 parts. They were often decorated by the maker, demonstrating artistic as well as mathematical skills (although they became more purely functional from mid 18th century). They were usually made of brass, silver, ivory or boxwood.

FM:42271