Archives

A Bohemian horizontal Sundial from 1731

Bohemia, dated 1731  Fire-Gilded and silvered brass, black colored engravings, the backside monogrammed  „F: P: A: W  / 1731“  With the engraved combined coat-of-arms of the Pentenrieder v. Adelshausen and the Hartlieb von Wallthor family  (Johann Kaspar P. and Anna Theresia H. married in 1728 and lived in Luschan / Luzany, West-Bohemia, today Czech Republic).    Compass with blued steel needle and original glass (circlip missing).  Condition: Original, untouched condition with good patina.    Size c. 11 x 8,4 cm    Provenance: Austrian private collection  Read More...

Early Demonstration Van Der Graaff Generator by Physica

For sale, a rare mid-twentieth century Van Der Graaff Generator by Physica This rare and early example is comprised of a Bakelite rectangular base with input to the front for an additional discharge wand and the manufacturer transfer to the front stating “Physica”. It has a circular handle incorporated to the side with a groove cut out in order to attach the generator to an external motor. Two lucite struts support the upper and lower rollers which hold the natural rubber Read More...

Becker comparator, C 1860

An Antique length comparator or Becker-comparator in original sheath. It is a calibration instrument from 1850-1870 and signed bij G. Becker Arnhem. The comparator belongs to the museum “kamer van het ijkmuseum”. Length 121 cm. Look for shop information on www.vanleestantiques.com Read More...

Celestial globe from the USSR, Asia, 1965.

This USSR celestial globe was made in 1965, yet it is almost identical to ones manufactured by Carey & Co, in London, UK in the early 1900s (such as item GLB0050 in the collection of the National Maritime Museum Greenwich). Though this long period of production shows the longevity of navigational devices, this instrument was almost out of date by the time of its manufacture. From the 1980s, portable electronic scientific calculators allowed navigators to make astronomical calculations with Read More...

SIGNIFICANT LODESTONE ON STAND

SIGNIFICANT LODESTONE ON STAND, Dutch, 17th / early 18th century.  This large 4” (10 cm) long lodestone is a wonderfully shaped chunk of naturally magnetic magnetite, found in nature.  It is mounted with iron plates and pole pieces to concentrate the field, and boldly bound in brass conforming to the shape of the stone and with decorative “columnar” supports above.  The poles are engraved in Dutch “Noord” and “Suyd.”  The whole lodestone weighs three pounds. It has a wonderful Read More...

RARE DUTCH GUNNERY RULE

RARE DUTCH GUNNERY RULE, 18th century, the two-sided rule made of brass   15-5/8” (40 cm) overall, pierced with a hanging hole.  Each of the four long edges is hand divided with a scale, viz., three very non linear ones, YZER (iron), divided from 0 to 125, STEEN (stone) 0 to 100, and LOOT (undoubtedly lead, now written “lood”) 0 to 125, plus one linear one R. DUYMEN (likely Rotterdam inches as duymen, or duimen, meaning thumbs, like the Read More...

Sigurdsons Atmospheric Sea-sounding Instrument – Weilbach, Copenhagen, Denmark

A remarkable sea-sounding instrument, invented by the Norwegian Captain Sigurdsons,  based on atmospheric pressure as the sea-sounding instrument of Wigzell. The instrument is put away in a pine box with a deep lead. On the lid an instruction sheet pasted to the inside.The instrument exists of a clear tube mounted inside a brass housing. The housing is fixed on a lanyard. The top end of the lanyard will be fixed to a sling and with the lead on the Read More...

Dutch Chloroform dropbottle, 19th C

A Dutch Chloroform dropbottle, 19th C. Complete with the lid, which close the side hole in the glass and cork system in the bottom to fill the bottle. 15,5 cm high. For shop information look on www.vanleestantiques.com Read More...

C1937 SFEROSCOPIO DEL PINO IN ORIGINAL CASE

SFEROSCOPIO DEL PINO. Manufactured by Belforte  in Livorno,Italy, c1937. Lacks accompanying literature.   There are 30 two-sided discs, each with a diameter of  8.5″ or 21 cm approx. . Very good condition. Each of the two aluminum frames has three small feet.    Read More...

Botanical microscope in case.

This instrument is a botanical microscope, first part 19th C. The instrument has the stage and objective limb mounted to a round support pillar.  The stage is attached to a round sleeve that moves up or down on the pillar to focus the sample. The objective limb is screwed into the top of the pillar. There are two objectives that can be used individually, or ganged together for higher magnification. The stage accommodates a Black/White disc, a cylindrical live-box, Read More...

Set of 6 Botanical Grafting models, C 1930.

A set of 6 Botanical Grafting models. It are 6 educational grafting models with different vorms of grafting as there is: Bud, cleft, whip, stub etc.. The models are from Czech Republic and in good condition. Max height 36 cm. Read More...

North Italian Orlogie Nocturnal, late 16th – begin 17th Century

A  North Italian orlogie nocturnal, Brass,  late 16th– begin 17th  century, not signed. Main disc with a diameter of 10 cm., a hole at the centre and a handle/extension of about 4 cm.  Rotatable hour disc with teeth and also a pointer arm of about 6 cm length, with hole at end, both pivoted to the centre of the main disc. The main disc has anti clockwise a zodiac scale, each sign subdivided  into 15 equal parts, numbered 10-20-30. There is Read More...