Skip to main content

Search

My Visit
Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution

Site Navigation

  • Visit
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Maps and Brochures
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
      • Group Sales
  • What's On
    • Exhibitions
      • Current
      • Upcoming
      • Past
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
  • Explore
    • - Art & Design
    • - History & Culture
    • - Science & Nature
    • Collections
      • Open Access
    • Research Resources
      • Libraries
      • Archives
        • Smithsonian Institution Archives
        • Air and Space Museum
        • Anacostia Community Museum
        • American Art Museum
        • Archives of American Art
        • Archives of American Gardens
        • American History Museum
        • American Indian Museum
        • Asian Art Museum Archives
        • Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, African Art
        • Hirshhorn Archive
        • National Anthropological Archives
        • National Portrait Gallery
        • Ralph Rinzler Archives, Folklife
        • Libraries' Special Collections
    • Podcasts
    • Stories
  • Learn
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
      • Art & Design Resources
      • Science & Nature Resources
      • Social Studies & Civics Resources
      • Professional Development
      • Events for Educators
      • Field Trips
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
  • Support Us
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
      • Smithsonian Call Center
      • Ambassador Program
      • Museum Information Desk
      • Docent Programs
      • Behind-the-Scenes
      • Digital Volunteers
      • Participatory Science
  • About
    • Our Organization
      • Board of Regents
        • Members
        • Committees
        • Reading Room
        • Bylaws, Policies and Procedures
        • Schedules and Agendas
        • Meeting Minutes
        • Actions
        • Webcasts
        • Contact
      • Museums and Zoo
      • Research Centers
      • Cultural Centers
      • Education Centers
      • General Counsel
        • Legal History
        • Internships
        • Records Requests
          • Reading Room
        • Tort Claim
        • Subpoenas & Testimonies
        • Events
      • Office of Human Resources
        • Employee Benefits
        • How to Apply
        • Job Opportunities
        • Job Seekers with Disabilities
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • SI Civil Program
        • Contact Us
      • EEO & Small Business
        • EEO Complaint Process
        • Individuals with Disabilities
        • Small Business Program
          • Doing Business with Us
          • Contracting Opportunities
          • Additional Resources
        • Special Emphasis Program
      • Sponsored Projects
        • Policies
          • Combating Trafficking in Persons
          • Animal Care and Use
          • Human Research
        • Reports
        • Internships
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
      • Annual Reports
      • Metrics Dashboard
        • Dashboard Home
        • Virtual Smithsonian
        • Public Engagement
        • National Collections
        • Research
        • People & Operations
      • Strategic Plan
    • Newsdesk
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • Photos and Video
      • Media Kits
      • Fact Sheets
      • Visitor Stats
      • Secretary and Admin Bios
      • Filming Requests

Schoenner Set of Drawing Instruments

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Schoenner, Georg
Description
This mahogany case is lined with maroon satin and velvet. It has a lock, but the key is missing. A tray lifts out and holds the following instruments:
1) 6-1/4" German silver and steel dividers with two removable legs, needle point, extension bar, pencil point, and pen point. The pieces are each marked: 11. The central screw on the dividers is marked: D.R. PATENT (/) No 44741.
2) 5-1/4" German silver and steel dividers with one removable leg. The central screw on the dividers is marked: D.R. PATENT (/) No 44741.
3) 4" German silver and steel dividers with two removable legs, pencil point, pen point, and needle point. The central screw on the dividers is marked: D.R. PATENT (/) No 44741.
4) 3-1/8" bow dividers, bow pen, and bow pencil.
5) 1-3/4" brass cylinder with seven pencil leads.
6) 1-1/4" metal cylinder with seven pencil leads.
7) Two steel, German silver, and ivory drawing pens (4-5/8", 5-3/8"). The ivory handle for the longer pen is no longer attached to the metal portion.
Georg Schoenner (1821–1899) of Nuremberg received the German patent mentioned on the dividers on February 5, 1888, for the construction of the hinge on dividers and compasses. He opened his workshop in 1851 and added his son as partner in 1877.
According to the donor, Charles S. Stones of St. Louis owned the instruments. From the early 1890s until the beginning of World War I, he used the set in his work building stairs. In order to get a building job in St. Louis at that time, Stones had to learn German. After the war, demand for showy stairways lapsed. Stones then used the instruments to draw house plans until about 1928.
Reference: Georg Schoenner, "Zirkelgelenk" (German Patent 44741 issued February 5, 1888), http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/originalDocument?CC=DE&NR=44741C&KC=C&FT=D&date=&DB=EPODOC&locale=en_EP; accession file.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of Victor L. Stones
ca 1890
ID Number
1977.0279.01
catalog number
1977.0279.01
accession number
1977.0279
catalog number
335933
Object Name
drawing instruments, set of
Physical Description
wood (overall material)
fabric (overall material)
german silver (overall material)
steel (overall material)
ivory (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 6.5 cm x 27.2 cm x 18.7 cm; 2 9/16 in x 10 23/32 in x 7 3/8 in
place made
Germany: Bavaria, Nuremberg
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Mathematics
Science & Mathematics
Drawing Instruments
National Museum of American History
Subject
Mathematics
Drafting, Engineering
Carpentry
Record ID
nmah_1122190
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746aa-9880-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Related Content

  • Drawing Instruments

    American History Museum
Set of Drawing Instruments by Georg Schoenner
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

Footer logo

Link to homepage

Footer navigation

  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Get Involved
  • Inspector General
  • Records Requests
  • Accessibility
  • EEO & Small Business
  • Shop Online
  • Host Your Event
  • Press Room
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use

Social media links

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Sign up for Smithsonian e-news

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Email powered by BlackBaud (Privacy Policy, Terms of Use)
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Back to Top