T. I. HAGEN (Т. И. ГАГЕН). Moscow, ca. 1870–1900

Technical drawing kit marketed by T. I. HAGEN (Т. И. ГАГЕН). Moscow, ca. 1870–1900.
Steel and brass. Wooden case with a velvet-lined interior.
Features a commercial label in Cyrillic from T. I. Hagen, Moscow, Lubyanka.
Condition: signs of use and wear consistent with its age. Damage to the finish of the case and the interior lining. Some instruments and accessories are missing, as is the key to the lock.
Measurements: 5 x 25 x 13 cm.

An interesting case for precision drawing instruments, sold in Moscow by the T. I. Hagen store, one of the names associated with the development of the technical and stationery trade in late-19th-century Russia.
The case, made of wood and featuring a brass plaque for initials, retains a removable tray lined with black velvet edged in green, in which the instruments are arranged in compartments specifically adapted to their shapes. The set includes various precision compasses and articulated-arm compasses, protractors, extenders, drawing rulers, and interchangeable parts, made primarily of steel and brass.
Of particular interest is the original commercial label preserved inside, bearing a Cyrillic inscription corresponding to the “T. I. Hagen Store” in Moscow, Lubyanka. Teófil Ivanovich Hagen (1831–1912), an Estonian-born businessman based in Moscow, had launched a stationery business in 1862, which he later expanded to include the production and distribution of technical and office supplies.

These types of cases constituted professional equipment of considerable precision, intended for architects, engineers, surveyors, and draftsmen at a time when advances in engineering, cartography, and technical education significantly increased the demand for specialized instruments. The preservation of the original case, its tray customized for each tool, and—especially—the label from the historic Moscow establishment all contribute to the set’s appeal within the field of scientific and technical instrument collecting.