Object Details
- Fujishima
- Description
- A rectangular paulownia wood case has a red and white sticker on the right end marked: No. 45 (/) M. Inside the case are six bamboo rulers, four that are just over 12" (about 31 cm) long and two that are 2-1/4" (15.5 cm).
- The first rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 3500. The scales along both edges are identical, 30 cm long, divided to single units, and numbered by twenties from 0 to 1,040. The back of the rule is stamped in red: METRE. It is also marked: 1 (/) 3500. It is also marked: 1.
- The second rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 50. The scales along both edges are identical, 12" long, divided to tenths of a unit, and numbered by ones from 0 to 72. The back of the rule is stamped in red: INCH. It is also marked: 1 (/) 50. It is also marked: 4.
- The third rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 25. Both edges have scales for 1" to the foot and 1/2" to the foot along one edge. The back of the rule is stamped in red: FOOT. It is also stamped: 1 (/) 25. It is also stamped: 2.
- The fourth rule is marked in Japanese: Made by Fujishima. It is also marked: 2500. The scales along both edges are identical, 30 cm long, divided to single units, and numbered by tens from 0 to 750. The back of the rule is stamped in red: METRE. It is also marked: 1 (/) 250 (not 2,500). It is also marked: 6.
- The fifth and sixth rules have scales that are 1-15/16" long. Both rules are divided along both edges into four units that are subdivided into tenths. On the fifth rule, the scales are numbered by tens from 0 to 40. The back is stamped in red: 1 (/) 250. It is also stamped in red: 13. The scales on the sixth rule are numbered by ones from 0 to 4. The back is stamped in red: 1 (/) 25. It is also stamped in red: 2.
- These rules were likely used in engineering and architectural drawing. Compare to MA.261283, MA.261284, MA.261285, and MA.261287. The rules were exhibited by the Japanese Empire Department of Education at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. They then were displayed by the Museum of the U.S. Bureau of Education until 1906 and transferred to the Smithsonian National Museum 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.261286
- catalog number
- 261286
- accession number
- 51116
- Object Name
- scale rules, set of
- rules, set of
- Physical Description
- bamboo (overall material)
- wood (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 4.2 cm x 33 cm x 4.6 cm; 1 21/32 in x 13 in x 1 13/16 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
- Drafting, Engineering
- Drawing Instruments
- Record ID
- nmah_1215106
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746aa-abcd-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
