Box of compasses and measuring instruments. Kern & Co. Switzerland, ca.1890.

Box of compasses and measuring instruments. KERN & CO. Switzerland, ca.1890.
Steel and bone instruments.
Wooden box lined with imitation leather.
Exhibits wear consistent with age and use. Lacking in the box.
Measurements: 3 x 22 x 11,5 cm.

Instrument case, manufactured by the Swiss firm Kern & Co at the end of the XIX century. Switzerland, already by then synonymous with high quality watchmaking and precision mechanics, extended its reputation to the creation of optical and drawing devices. The case, with a wooden core and leather-like lining, features a purple velvet-lined interior. It houses the following items, crafted with the utmost precision in steel and bone: angle protractor, bar compass (or large radius), precision compasses, compasses with interchangeable accessories for attaching nibs, drawing pencils and spring compasses. The tips of these accessories are made of steel, while the handles and some details are made of bone.