Other Archives - Page 5 of 20

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The traverse board was used to make dead reckoning. The circular part has 32 compass points with eight holes on each point. In the middle are eight cords secured with little pins. The pins are made of copper. The cardinal regions are marked N, NO, O, SO, S, SV, W, NV. The incorrectly indicated SV was later corrected. During the watch at sea, the sailed course was recorded every half hour by placing a pin on the sailed course Read More...

15 Jun

Inductive Repulsion apparatus after Elihu Thomson, C 1890

By Van Leest Antiques

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Inductive Repulsion apparatus after Elihu Thomson with a brass protective cover for the composite metal core and two brass rings.. Found in the (English) Max Kohl catalogue and a description could be found: ‘The Elihu Thomson device proves the repelling action of a Magnetic Field, generated by A. C., on good conducting metal masses. Wood Frame with Ring, the latter suspended on fibres, Fig. G. the magnet core is lifted as far as possible out of the magnetizing coil, the Read More...

12 Jun

Van Baalen globe ca. 1910

By Van Leest Antiques

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C.L. Van Balen 4 inch (10 cm) Terrestrial Globe on a tin-plate stand, 1910. Published by J. B. Wolters in Groningen, 12 lithographed and colored paper gores on cardboard sphere, lithographed tin stand and horizon. In good condition. Height 14,5 cm. Find out more on www.vanleestantiques.com Read More...

09 Jun

Cavalieri anticipates Newton’s reflecting telescope as well as the Cassegrain reflector

By Landmarks of Science

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CAVALIERI, Bonaventura. Lo Specchio Ustorio overo trattato delle settioni coniche, el alcuni loro mirabili effetti intorno al lume, caldo, freddo, suono, e moto ancora … Bologna: Clemente Ferroni, 1632. First edition, rare, of Cavalieri’s highly important treatise on conic sections and their applications in optics, acoustics and, perhaps most significantly, mechanics. Its importance in the history of the telescope is well-known: “Cavalieri’s design may well have been in all the essentials a direct anticipation of Newton’s reflecting telescope. Clearer and Read More...

07 Jun

Three rare works, including Egnazio Danti’s schematization of mathematics and a paper instrument for calculating right ascension

By Landmarks of Science

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DANTI, Egnazio. Le scienze matematiche ridotte in tavole. Bologna: la Compagnia della Stampa, 1577. [Bound with:] CHIABRANDI, Francesco. Descrizione ed uso d’una Tavoletta più comoda, ed accurata del Globo Celeste pe’ problemi d’Ascension Retta. Piacenza: G. Tedeschi, 1781. [Bound with:] Anon. Saggio Cronologico d’Autore Anonimo. Parte I. Milan: Francesco Pogliani, 1785. A remarkable sammelband of three very rare works, all in first edition. It opens with Danti’s schematization of the sciences, beginning with mathematics and moving on to astronomy (Ptolemaic, but Read More...

07 Jun

Adriaan Metius, the first Dutch work on the proportional compass, 1634

By Landmarks of Science

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METIUS, Adriaan. Manuale arithmetice et geometrie practice in het welcke beneffens de stock-rekeninghe ofte rabdologia J. Nepperi, cortelick ende duydelic t’gene den landmeters ende ingenieurs, nopende ‘t landmeten ende sterkte-bouwen nootwendich is, wort geleert ende exemplaerlick aengewesen door A. A. Metius op een nieu verrijckt met nieuwe inventie om alle ronde vaten hare wannigheden af te pegelen. Amsterdam: Hendrick Laurensz, 1634 First edition, the more important second issue (see below), of this very rare Dutch manual of arithmetic, surveying and Read More...

06 Jun

Boscovich’s account of his vitrometer, 1767

By Landmarks of Science

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BOSCOVICH, Roger Joseph. De recentibus compertis pertinentibus ad perficiendam dioptricam, pp. 169-235 and 2 plates in: De Bononiensi Scientiarum et Artium Instituto atque Academia, Commentarii, Vol. V, Pars Prima. [With:] De unione colorum aliorum post alios per binas substantias, ac unione multo majore per tres, pp. 265-333 and one plate in Ibid., Vol. V, Pars Altera. Bologna: Typis Laelii et Vulpe, 1767 First edition, in two complete journal volumes, of Boscovich’s invention of the vitrometer. “In this dissertation, [De recentibus] Read More...

12 May

Octogonal brass and steel compass signed IAN DIRCKSOON WT DE RYP 1612

By Galerie Delalande Paris

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An octagonal brass and steel compass with ball head signed “IAN DIRCKSOON WT DE RYP 1612” and bearing two marks: a crowned L on each of the arms and a mark symbolising a 4 with three legs on the inside of the hinge. One of the arms has an additional steel strip used as an ink point. Dimension: length of 16,2 cm. The Netherlands dated 1612. Read More...

01 May

Beautiful small astrolabe plate, Indo-Persian, 18th century

By Boris Jardine Rare Books

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A very elegant single astrolabe plate, 18th century, from an Indo-Persian astrolabe, possibly made at Lahore. Engraved on both sides for 27º, but by two distinct makers. Projection lines are dotted and solid and are now quite faint, but the script is very clear and finely engraved. Similar in style and size to the two plates that were presented to the History of Science Museum, Oxford, in 1955 (inv. nos 41524 & 88453). Housed in a custom-made clamshell box. Read More...

30 Mar

Trepan-perforator Josef Leiter c. 1866

By Van Leest Antiques

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An obstretrical trepan-perforator by Josef Leiter (1830-1892) of Vienna of circa 1866. The instrument is made of a curved tube with a big trepan with on top a winch-handle to rotate the trepan, a similar example was exhibited in an 1866 exhibtion of instruments in London of ‘obstetrical and other instruments’. In 1866 an exhibition of ‘obstetrical and other instruments’ was held which was organized in the Library of the Royal College of Physicians by the Obstetrical Society of London. Read More...

30 Mar

Indian Bezoar in silver mounting 17th century

By Van Leest Antiques

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This Bezoar stone is mounted in a silver frame, it was probably made in India in the 17th century. A bezoar is a clump of undigested matter of often hair and plant fibers, found in the digestive systems of animals, including humans. This specimen likely originated from a horse or camel. Bezoar stones were once thought to possess universal antidotal properties against poisons, deriving its name from the Persian word “pãd-zahr” meaning ‘antidote’. While not a cure-all, it did Read More...

30 Mar

Geocentric armillary sphere F. Paluzie, signed 1822

By Van Leest Antiques

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A Spanish geocentric armillary sphere by Faustino Paluzie of 1822. These types of armillary spheres are also referred to as Ptolemaic and are made to the vision that the earth was the center of the universe. The globe is made of a structure of wooden rings (armille) which are placed in horizontal pisitions to represent from north to south: the circle of the Northern Arctic Pole, the Tropic of Cancer, the equinoctial line or Equator, the Tropic of Capricorn and Read More...