Accession No

1041

Brief Description

set of drawing instruments, by Pierre Le Maire, French, 1750 (c)

Origin

France; Paris

Maker

Le Maire, Pierre

Class

drawing

Earliest Date

1735

Latest Date

1785

Inscription Date

Material

organic (tortoiseshell); metal (silver, steel); cloth (velvet)

Dimensions

case length 128 mm; breadth 39 mm; thickness 17 mm

Special Collection

Robert Whipple collection

Provenance

Donated by Robert S. Whipple, 1951. Purchased from the estate of T.H. Court, 1951.

Inscription

‘P. LE MAIRE
APARIS’ (sector)
‘EGM’ (monogram plate on case)

Description Notes

Set of drawing instruments, by Pierre Le Maire, French, c. 1750.

Tortoiseshell clip case; hinged lid; silver mounts with silver monogram plate. Contains 4 pieces (originally five).
1. Silver and steel dividers. ‘Sector’ joint with steel plates; triangular shanks with inlet steel points.
2. Silver double hinged pen; steel hinges; steel wing nut adjusts points. Steel tips.
3. Silver pencil holder.
4. Silver sector/square/level. Engraved square hinge. Obverse: scale of ‘les Cordes’ [0] - 90 twice by 10 to 1; ‘les metaux’ by sign. On the fully opened limb single scale ‘Poids des Boulets 1/4 - 8 by 1 (1/4 - 1 by 1/4) then by 2 (but with 15) to 24. Reverse: scale of ‘Les Parties Egales’ [0] - 100 twice by 10 to 1. ‘Les Polygones’ 3- 12 twice by 1. On fully opened limb ‘Calibre des Pieces’ 1/4 - 8 by 1 (1/4 and 1/2 marked) then by 2 (including 15) to 22. Along edge of fully opened limb: ‘DEMI PIED DE ROY’ 0 - 6 by 1 and 0 - 1 and 5 - 6 subdivided to 12 by 3. Silver arm engraved with scroll work fits across angle to form 90˚ square. Suspension point in hinge for plumb bob.

Condition: good/fair; incomplete (one piece missing).

References

Events