Dividers

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This pair of steel dividers, also known as a pair of compasses, were made in Europe in the 18th century. They are unsigned.

The legs of the dividers are triangular in cross-section, tapering to a point.

Dividers were used in chart-work for pricking out a course, or measuring out distances on a chart against the calibrations of linear measurement on the Mercator latitude scales found on sectors.

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• Online ID: 000-100-102-707-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1966.73
• Date: 18th century
  
• Material: Steel
  
• Dimensions: 4.81" L overall
  
• What:
• Subject: 19. MATHEMATICS (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who:
• Where: Europe
  
• Event:
• Description: Steel dividers, with a two and one-leaf ball hinge with a steel hinge pin, and truncated-triangular section legs tapering to a point, Europe, unsigned, 18th century
  
• References:
  • For dividers, see Turner, Anthony, Early Scientific Instruments 1400-1800. London: 1987, pp 154-5 
• Translations:
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