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Mathematical instruments
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The invention of mathematical instruments was driven, since antiquity, by the demands of astronomical observation, navigation, and cartography. Some of the older instruments, such as the armillary sphere or the parallactic ruler, were described in Ptolemy's Almagest. Arab astronomers were responsible for the extraordinary invention of the astrolabe and its variants: the quadrant, the equatorium, the torquetum, and the geometrical square. These instruments were also used in the Middle Ages, together with the Jacob's staff, for measuring terrestrial distances and determine latitude. The map-making and military needs of the Renaissance gave rise to a wide range of instruments often assembled into what were known as mathematical compendia: these contained surveyor's magnetic compasses, proportional compasses, surveyor's compasses, folding squares, goniometers, calipers, plumb levels, and numerous accessories. The scientific collections of the leading European courts of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries also comprised other types of mathematical instruments: surveying instruments, sundials, and calculating machines.

Objects
Barrois compass

Barrois compass

Inv. 656
Franz Schwartz, Brussels, first half 18th cent.

Box for mathematical instruments

Box for mathematical instruments

Inv. 597
Maker unknown, 18th cent.

Box for mathematical instruments

Box for mathematical instruments

Inv. 671
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Box for mathematical instruments

Box for mathematical instruments

Inv. 677
Maker unknown, 18th cent.

Box for mathematical instruments

Box for mathematical instruments

Inv. 672
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Box of mathematical instruments

Box of mathematical instruments

Inv. 243, 244, 247
Giacomo Lusverg, Domenico Lusverg, Rome, second half 17th cent. - first half 18th cent.

Box of mathematical instruments

Box of mathematical instruments

Inv. 2532, 2541, 2542 (archipenzolo con busto di fanciullo), 2543, 3726
Christoph Schissler, German, late 16th cent.

Calculating machine

Calculating machine

Inv. 3179
Maker unknown, Italian?, 17th cent.

Calculating machine

Calculating machine

Inv. 679
Henri Sutton, Samuel Knibb, London, 1664

Caliper compass

Caliper compass

Inv. 3693
Peugeot Frères, French, 19th cent.

Caliper compass

Caliper compass

Inv. 652, 3706
Maker unknown, Italian, 17th cent.

Case of mathematical instruments

Case of mathematical instruments

Inv. 639, 640, 673, 703
Giacomo Lusverg, Domenico Lusverg, Rome, late 17th cent. - early 18th cent.

Declinatory

Declinatory

Inv. 3822
Giovanni Battista Giusti [attr.], Florence, second half 16th cent.

Folding rule

Folding rule

Inv. 2516
James Kynvyn, London, 1595

Folding rule

Folding rule

Inv. 628
Antoine La Motte, Rome, 1768

Folding square

Folding square

Inv. 3629
F. Rousselot, Paris, 18th cent.

Four-point proportional compasses

Four-point proportional compasses

Inv. 3567
Giovanni Maccari, Rome, 1666

Geometric and military compass

Geometric and military compass

Inv. 3540
Giovanni Maccari, Italian, 1676

Geometrical square

Geometrical square

Inv. 121
Maker unknown, Italian?, 16th cent.

Graphometer

Graphometer

Inv. 151
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Graphometer

Graphometer

Inv. 3630
"Ring", Berlin, 18th cent.

Graphometer

Graphometer

Inv. 245, 3699
Domenico Lusverg, Rome, 1710

Instrument of the "Primum Mobile"

Instrument of the "Primum Mobile"

Inv. 2643
Egnazio Danti, Florence, 1568

Mathematical compendium

Mathematical compendium

Inv. 2467
Hans Christoph Schissler, German, late 16th cent.

Military instrument

Military instrument

Inv. 2530
Joost Bürgi [attr.], German, late 16th cent.

Octant

Octant

Inv. 120
Maker unknown, Italian?, 16th cent.

"Organum Mathematicum"

"Organum Mathematicum"

Inv. 2741
Maker unknown, Italian, late 17th cent. - early 18th cent.

Perpetual wheel

Perpetual wheel

Inv. 3716
Antonio Santucci, after 1582

Plumb level

Plumb level

Inv. 3184
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Plumb level

Plumb level

Inv. 3604
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Plumb level

Plumb level

Inv. 3690
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Plumb level

Plumb level

Inv. 654
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Plumb level (gunner's level) and proportional compasses

Plumb level (gunner's level) and proportional compasses

Inv. 3695
Pierre Galland, 18th cent.

Portable quadrant

Portable quadrant

Inv. 2513
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Portable quadrant

Portable quadrant

Inv. 2513
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Proportional and surveying compasses

Proportional and surveying compasses

Inv. 2510
Georg Zorn, Augsburg, 1618

Proportional compasses

Proportional compasses

Dep. GN, Roma
Antonio Costa, Italian, 17th cent.

Proportional compasses

Proportional compasses

Inv. 3676
Pierre Le Maire, Paris, 18th cent.

Proportional compasses

Proportional compasses

Inv. 650
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Proportional compasses

Proportional compasses

Inv. 3647
Jacques Canivet, Paris, 18th cent.

Proportional compasses

Proportional compasses

Inv. 2512
Jost Miller, Strasbourg, 1616

Protractor

Protractor

Inv. 613
Maker unknown, English, late 16th cent.

Protractor

Protractor

Inv. 683, 2526
Maker unknown, 16th cent.

Quadrant

Quadrant

Inv. 1495, 2465
Tobias Volckmer, Braunschweig, 1608

Quadrant

Quadrant

Inv. 242, 3362
James Kynvyn [attr.], English, 1595 (?)

Quadrant

Quadrant

Inv. 2523
Jean Giamin, Rome, late 16th cent.

Quadrant

Quadrant

Inv. 2509
Thomas Gemini, English, mid-16th cent.

Quadrant

Quadrant

Inv. 2522
Maker unknown, Naples, 1553

Ruler

Ruler

Inv. 1322, 3683
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Surveying compass

Surveying compass

Inv. 1279
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Surveying compass

Surveying compass

Inv. 144
Baldassarre Lanci, Florence or Siena, 16th cent.

Surveying compass

Surveying compass

Inv. 2508
Maker unknown, Italian, 17th cent.

Surveying compass

Surveying compass

Inv. 1471
Maker unknown, Italian, 17th cent.

Surveying compass

Surveying compass

Inv. 3687
Urbino workshop, 16th cent.

Surveying compass

Surveying compass

Inv. 2527
Humphrey Cole, London, 1575

Surveying compass

Surveying compass

Inv. 1280
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Surveying compass

Surveying compass

Inv. 3371
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Surveying compass

Surveying compass

Inv. 2506
Matteo Botti, Giovanbattista Botti, Italian, 17th cent.

Theodolite

Theodolite

Inv. 149
Maker unknown, 17th cent.

Theodolite

Theodolite

Inv. 154
Erasmus Habermel, Prague, late 16th cent.

Theodolite

Theodolite

Inv. 150
Michael Bumel, Nuremberg, 1625

Theodolite

Theodolite

Inv. 240
Augustine Ryther, English, 1590

Theodolite

Theodolite

Inv. 2528
Maker unknown, English, late 16th cent.

Triangulation instrument

Triangulation instrument

Inv. 3164
Baldassarre Lanci [attr.], Florence, 16th cent.

Triangulation instrument

Triangulation instrument

Inv. 668
Paolo Massucci, Lucca, 1604

Trigonometric machine

Trigonometric machine

Inv. 689
John Marke, London, 1670

Trigonometric quadrants

Trigonometric quadrants

Inv. 2529, 2637
Christoph Schissler [attr.], German, late 16th cent.