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Switzerland / ca 1900

Bow Compass with Pen Point

Bow Compass with Pen Point

The Smithsonian catalogs Bow Compass with Pen Point as compass, drawing in its Mathematics records.

WHY IT’S INTERESTING

This steel-spring instrument has an ivory handle, a point attached to one leg, and a penholder with adjusting screw on the other leg. The distance between the legs is adjusted with a pin and thumbscrew. The instrument resembles a Swiss bow pen sold around the turn of the 20th century by W. & L. E. Gurley (for $2.00) and by Keuffel & Esser (for $2.50). The manufacturer was probably not Kern & Co. o

SERENDIPITYA little unexpected
FamiliarWeird

A CLOSER LOOK

The Smithsonian lists the object under Mathematics and dates it ca 1900.

This steel-spring instrument has an ivory handle, a point attached to one leg, and a penholder with adjusting screw on the other leg. The distance between the legs is adjusted with a pin and thumbscrew. The instrument resembles a Swiss bow pen sold around the turn of the 20th century by W. & L. E. Gurley (for $2.00) and by Keuffel & Esser (for $2.50). The manufacturer was probably not Kern & Co. o

FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE

Smithsonian InstitutionBow Compass with Pen Point

Original explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.