France Archives - Page 47 of 53

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A REVOLUTIONARY SUNDIAL, French, 18th century, unsigned, of the “Butterfield” type. The eight-sided brass dial measures 2-1/2″ x 3″ (6 x 8 cm), with folding gnomon adjustable from 40° to 60° North latitude against bird-form support, and inset glazed compass. The upper surface is engraved with four chapter rings for different latitudes, and most distinctive cross-hatched decoration. The underside has a gazetteer of 17 cities and their latitudes, the spring plate also with cross-hatching. The gnomon carries unusual leafy Read More...

08 Jul

MAGNETIC AZIMUTH SUNDIAL

By TESSERACT

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MAGNETIC AZIMUTH SUNDIAL, French, late 19th century, signed “J. Decoudun.” The 1-1/8″ (3 cm) diameter glazed case is made of plated brass and mounted with pendant ring. It contains a fixed brass arc with compass directionals, and a floating compass card printed with hours from 6am to 6pm and set with stone pivot. Condition is very fine noting some darkening to the silvered arc. In use one aligns the case with the sun, and reads the time from the calibrations Read More...

05 Jul

CHARRIERE RHINOSCOPE

By M and R Gordon

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A Charriere Rhinoscope with ebony handle, that was used for examining the naso-pharynx. It combines a tongue depressor ,uvula holder and mirror. Length as shown in second image: 29cm. A review of all available Charriere catalogs, Gaujot and Spillman (1872) and other relevant sources failed to yield an image or discussion of this instrument, leading us to conclude that it may have been a prototype or a special order. Read More...

30 Jun

FRENCH SUNDIAL / THEODOLITE

By TESSERACT

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FRENCH SUNDIAL / THEODOLITE, 1816, signed “fait par Rivaud ingenieur le 20 mai 1816″ (made by Rivaud, engineer, May 20, 1816). Made of walnut, 6-3/8″ (16 cm) square and 1” thick overall, this multipurpose instrument has hinged lid with string gnomon and plumb line; horizontal chapter ring divided every quarter hour from 6am to 6pm; inset glazed compass with 360 scale divided each degree, 16-point rose, doubled needle, and automatic needle lifter; and side-mounted inclinable rectangular walnut tube with Read More...

29 Jun

JULIEN LE ROY’S IMPROVED HORIZONTAL SUNDIAL

By TESSERACT

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JULIEN LE ROY’S IMPROVED HORIZONTAL SUNDIAL, French, c. 1740, signed “Jacques Le Maire de La Societe des Arts, au Genie a Paris.” The substantial brass dial plate measures 7-1/4″ x 9-3/4″ (18 x 25 cm) overall, and is set with a glazed compass with fine eight-point rose, a broad 49-degree gnomon pierced with four pinholes and with slots to support the brass plumb on silk cord, and four pommel-headed leveling screws. The compass rose can be rotated by external Read More...

28 Jun

UNUSUAL PORTABLE COMPASS / SUNDIAL

By TESSERACT

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UNUSUAL PORTABLE COMPASS / SUNDIAL, French, 1837, stamped “1837 . 30 Aoust” on the brass. This traveler’s instrument is carved from a single block of dense wood (walnut?) 9-1/4″ (23 cm) long, with knob handle and shaped alignment index. It has an inset glazed compass with finely shaped arrow-head needle and with brass compass plate divided every five degrees and offset for 27° west declination. The adjacent horizontal sundial has brass base plate divided every 30 minutes, and small Read More...

22 Jun

Superb 18th century French dividers decorated with dolphins and birds

By Instrumentum

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Large (47cm / 18 ½ inch) antique stone mason or carpentry dividers from the early 18th century with square head surmounted with wrought and engraved acanthus leaf pendants. The body of the dividers are engraved with a flower on one side and vine on the other side. The legs feature the heads of parrots (facing up) and the heads of dolphins or fish (facing down) surrounding a heart shaped cut out. The dolphin motif was popular in France because of Read More...

21 Jun

AN ART NOUVEAU STAND

By TESSERACT

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AN ART NOUVEAU STAND, French, c. late 19th century. Extending from 9-3/4″ to 11-3/8″ (29 cm) tall, this lovely stand has a rather elegant Art Nouveau style tripod base and recurved limb of tan-enameled cast iron. The other fittings are in contrasting bright lacquered and blackened brass, and feature rack and pinion focus, double objective, “squiggle work” stage, substage wheel of stops, choice of concave silvered mirror or flat white plaster diffuser, moveable slide support, live box, and tweezers. Read More...

18 Jun

PRISMATIC INVERTING OCULAR

By TESSERACT

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PRISMATIC INVERTING OCULAR, French, c. 1900, engraved “Nachet” in script in the chemically darkened brass body. Measuring 1-3/4″ (4.5 cm) overall, and with an eyetube outside diameter of 23.3 mm, the ocular has internal lenses and prism to give an upright image of the object when used with an ordinary compound microscope, especially facilitating dissection. Condition is fine noting some spotting to the prism. Nachet advertised this inverting ocular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and further Read More...

17 Jun

SILVER FINGER RING,

By TESSERACT

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SILVER FINGER RING, French, c. second quarter 19th century, with a “poinçon” hallmark punch. The small 1/2″ (12 mm) long solid glass lens is mounted in a silver cell with a twisted wire handle forming a finger ring 1-1/2″ (3.8 cm) in overall height. It provides extremely high magnification at a short working distance, and is in fine condition throughout. The maker was likely the important Noël-Jean Lerebours, working in Paris with his son Noël-Marie (who in 1845 entered Read More...

13 Jun

FRENCH CASE-MOUNTED SIDE-PILLAR MICROSCOPE

By TESSERACT

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FRENCH CASE-MOUNTED SIDE-PILLAR MICROSCOPE, c. 1860, signed only on the trade card “F. Barbier, Opticien, rue d’Orleans 1 (to Place Villeneuve 2A), Marseille.” Made of golden lacquered brass the microscope assembles to a total (minimum) height of 10-3/4″ (27 cm) above the beautiful flame-grained wood case. It is equipped with a two-element eyepiece, three interchangeable objectives, stage with fixed spring clips and racked motion from the cylindrical rear pillar, and plane mirror below. Condition is fine noting some wear Read More...

08 Jun

EXCEPTIONAL COILED-TUBE BINOCULARS

By TESSERACT

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EXCEPTIONAL COILED-TUBE BINOCULARS, French, c. 1880. These ingenious binoculars are constructed with two gilt-brass main plates supporting not only the 2″ (5 cm) diameter objective lens cells, but also the complex assembly of axle with twin pinion gears engaging the long folding rack-works which drive a thick plate carrying the eyelenses, meanwhile extending the helical coils to form opaque tubes to exclude off-axis light. Materials include gilt brass, steel, horn, and shell. Condition is very fine noting a little Read More...