McAllister & Co.
Cased Set of Drawing Instruments

Public Domain

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Retailer McAllister & Co. (Philadelphia, 1836–1853)Philadelphia, 1836–1853

CultureEnglish

Titles

Cased Set of Drawing Instruments

Datec. 1836–1853

Probable placeEngland

Retailed inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

MediumBrass, steel, wood, ivory, and sharkskin

DimensionsCase: 6 7/8 × 2 7/8 × 1 1/4 in. (17.5 × 7.3 × 3.2 cm)

Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, gift of Clifford H. Royal

Object numberB.2018.60.A-.I

Current Location

Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens

Federal Parlor

On view

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Department

Bayou Bend

Object Type

TOOLS, IMPLEMENTS & WEIGHTS

DescriptionThis black shagreen-covered wooden case has numerous compartments containing a compass with pen nib and pencil, dividers, pen, parallel rule, protractor, and sector. Instruments, such as these, would have been used by practitioners of many trades during the 18th and 19th centuries, including architects, engineers, cabinetmakers, and surveyors. Surveyors used the instruments to translate measurements made in the field into drawings of land surveys. Those creating visual works, such as architects and cabinetmakers, used them to develop designs, creating the desired ratios and proportions to structure the work according to the orders or architecture or other organizing principles. Larger versions of the same instruments would have been used to scale up the designs as the work was being built. Tools like these were fundamental to the developing, recording, and implementing all manners of design during this period.
ProvenanceClifford H. Royal, Hockley, Texas; given to MFAH, 2018.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Printed paper label applied inside the case top: McALLISTER & CO. / 48, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, / HAVE CONSTANTLY FOR SALE, CASES OF / Mathematical Instruments / For Schools, Wholesale and Retail, / Also, Dividers-Gunter’s Scales-Parallel Rules-Brass and / Ivory Protractors, &c. separate from the Cases.

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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