Set of two boxes of drawing instruments and compasses. Germany and Belgium, late 19th century

Set of two boxes of drawing instruments and compasses. Germany and Belgium, late 19th century.
Steel, brass and bone.
Complete.
One of them signed one of them signed C. Riefler and the other Brosten, Brussels.
In its wooden box lined in fabric simulating leather, with wear.
Exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
Measurements: 2 x 18 x 7,5 cm.

Two complete boxes of technical drawing instruments in their original cases. Among the preserved instruments, some of them with bone handles, various types of compasses, extenders and interchangeable parts and a protractor for architects can be identified.

This set represents a piece of technical heritage, not only for its quality of manufacture and completeness, but also as a material testimony to the rise of technical drawing as a fundamental discipline in engineering, architecture and technical education of the time.

The extensive history of the compass begins in Ancient Greece, when this utensil was used as a key element in geometric and mathematical demonstrations. Until that time, earlier cultures such as the Egyptians had relied on taut strings to draw circles. Subsequently, other cultures used this valuable instrument as a source of creation, from the Romans to the Renaissance era. However, the real heyday of the compass came in the 17th century, when the first workshops dedicated to the manufacture of scientific and precision instruments appeared, producing compasses that were even artistically decorated. The development of navigation and the introduction of technical drawing in many academic training courses led to the increasing importance of this instrument, which became an indispensable element in the daily life of these professionals. At the same time, advances in precision mechanics in the 18th and 19th centuries led to the emergence of companies specializing in the manufacture of compasses, which became increasingly industrialized.