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Japanese Folding Scale Rule

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Description
This metal rule unfolds to a length of 14-7/8" (38 cm). One side is divided into ten units of 1-1/2" (3.7 cm). The units are subdivided into 20 parts. The hinge is shaped like a protractor. It is divided unevenly into five units marked with Japanese characters that have not been translated. From the right, the divisions are at approximately 10°, 30°, 60°, 90°, and 135°.
The other side has a scale 30.3 cm long that is divided into ten sun, a traditional Japanese unit of length that is 1/10 of a shaku, a "foot" measure. Each unit is 1-3/16" and is subdivided into 20 parts.
The Japanese Empire Department of Education displayed this rule at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. It then was held by the Museum of the U.S. Bureau of Education before transfer to the Smithsonian in 1910. For more information, see MA.261298 and MA.261313.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Transfer from Bureau of Education, Department of the Interior
before 1876
ID Number
MA.261294
catalog number
261294
accession number
51116
Object Name
rule, folding
Physical Description
steel (overall material)
Measurements
overall: .2 cm x 19.8 cm x 1.8 cm; 3/32 in x 7 25/32 in x 23/32 in
place made
Japan
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Mathematics
Science & Mathematics
Scale Rules
National Museum of American History
Subject
Mathematics
Expositions and Fairs
Rule, Measuring
Protractor
Record ID
nmah_1215113
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746aa-ad57-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Related Content

  • Scale Rules

    American History Museum
Japanese Folding Rule, about 1876, closed
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IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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