Box of compasses and drawing and measuring instruments. Hors & Co, London, ca.1870.

Box of compasses and drawing and measuring instruments. Hors & Co, London, ca.1870.
Rosewood case, brass hardware.
Steel, bone, bakelite and wood instruments.
Complete set.
Has key. Lock does not fit properly and has a foul.
Exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
Measurements: 10 x 35,5 x 15 cm.

Technical drawing instruments box in its original case. Of nineteenth-century London manufacture, the box itself denotes excellent craftsmanship. Made of rosewood, it reveals a precise compartmentalization inside: a top lid with a folding ruler, and trays with steel and brass instruments (some with bone handles), among which we can identify different types of compasses, extenders and interchangeable parts. The delicacy of the points and the fluidity of the articulations in compasses of different dimensions and functions are indicative of the high degree of specialization of the makers. The inclusion of bone and bakelite elements in the details of some of the instruments, such as the handles of the drawbars or the extensions of the compasses, is noteworthy. It is also worth mentioning the woodwork of the rulers and the pantograph. In short, they are examples of the rigor of Victorian engineering and the elegance inherent in the precision instruments of the time. Their design and the materials chosen sought to satisfy functionality as well as aesthetics and durability.