Description
An ell is a northwestern European unit of measurement, originally understood as a cubit (the combined length of the forearm and extended hand). The ell was a popular means of measuring out cloth and other commodities across Europe from at least the late Middle Ages—though, as is so often the case, its length varied from place to place. In England the ell was standardized to 45 inches in 1588, where it remained a legal measure until 1824. The Flemish ell, in contrast, measured only 27 inches (though in practice it appears to have ranged between 26 and 27 ½ inches). This particular rule corresponds to neither the English nor the Flemish ell, however, being, rather, half a Scottish ell. This measure was set at 37 Scottish inches (37.059 imperial inches), being standardised in 1661, eleven years after our rule was made.

Because they were often carved with ornate patterns, or inlaid with ivory or mother of pearl, ell rules (sometimes called ell-wands or draper’s yardsticks) survive in a wide range of collections as art objects as well as metrological artefacts. The crude notch cut into this rule slightly over 6 ½ inches from one end may have served to facilitate conversion between different types of ell (It appears to measure out a quarter Flemish ell, give or take).
27/11/2020
Created by: Josh Nall on 27/11/2020