1893 Antique Lippich Brass Polarimeter Antique Physic Analysis Instrument
By Societé Genevoise
Located in Milan, IT
Lippich polarimeter, scientifi instrument made in 1893 signed Societé Genevoise Genève, brass and black metal.
Brass
Sold
H 19.69 in W 19.69 in D 7.88 in
Late 19th century Wooden and Brass Polarimeter Antique Physic Instrument
Located in Milan, IT
Wooden and brass polarimeter with cast iron tripod base from the late 1800s.
Brass
Sold
H 7.09 in W 14.18 in D 8.67 in
Refractor Polarimeter Physic Measuring Instrument Made by Steindorff & Co 1920s
Located in Milan, IT
Refractor polarimeter made of painted brass with cast iron tripod base by Steindorff & Co.
Brass
Saccharimetre a Penombres by Jj Duboscq
By J. Duboscq, Paris 1
Located in London, by appointment only
This is commonly achieved using a measurement of refractive index (refractometer) or the angle of rotation of polarization of optically active sugars (polarimeter). Being related...
Steel, Brass
England Early 1900 Brass Galvanometer Antique Physic Measuring Instrument
By Philip Harris Ltd.
Located in Milan, IT
Moving coil brass galvanometer with three-screw base, instrument signed Philip Harris Ltd Birmingham England n. 19402, made in the early 1900, a tool used as a detector of direct cur...
Brass
$993Sale Price|20% Off
H 4.14 in W 33.47 in D 7.29 in
Large Vintage Pantagraph, English, Brass, Scientific Mapping Instrument
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a large vintage pantagraph. An English, brass scientific mapping instrument, dating to the mid-20th century, circa 1950. Fascinating scale and mechanical interest Displays a...
Brass
$25,000
H 64 in W 55 in D 3.75 in
English Brass Telescope w/ Spotting Scope & Stabilizer Bar on Tripod Stand 1870
Located in Charleston, SC
English brass and polished steel telescope with spotting scope, adjustable stabilizer bar, and mounted on folding tripod stand, 19th Century. Manufacturer T. Cooke & Sons, York. Tel...
Brass, Steel
English Victorian Blue & Brass Telescope
Located in Queens, NY
English Victorian brass and blue telescope on adjustable mahogany tripod base.
Brass
$45,000
H 57 in W 74 in D 4.75 in
French Brass & Polished Steel Telescope w/ Spotting Scope on Tripod Stand C 1850
By Bardou & Son
Located in Charleston, SC
French brass and polished steel telescope with removable lens cap, spotting scope, and mounted on folding tripod stand, 19th Century. Signed on focal tube by prolific telescope make...
Brass, Steel
$4,900
H 73.5 in W 46.25 in D 37 in
Antique English "Troughton & Simms, London" Standing Brass Telescope, Circa 1860
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique English "Troughton & Simms, London" Standing Brass Telescope, Circa 1860.
Brass
$729Sale Price|20% Off
H 3.75 in W 9.85 in D 6.5 in
Vintage Surveyor's Level, Brass, Scientific Instrument, Engineering, Circa 1950
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage surveyor's level. An English, brass scientific instrument with enamelled finish, dating to the mid 20th century, circa 1950. Appealing dumpy level with quality m...
Brass
$817Sale Price|20% Off
H 6.11 in W 1.78 in D 1.78 in
Antique Pocket Field Microscope, English, Brass, Instrument, Edwardian, C.1910
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique scientist's field microscope. An English, brass, pocket instrument, dating to the Edwardian period, circa 1910. Appealing brass instrument with fine colour, ide...
Brass
$4,404Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 5.91 in W 39.57 in D 8.67 in
Vintage Library Telescope, English, Brass, Broadhurst Clarkson, Astronomical
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage cased library telescope. An English, brass 'Starboy' astronomical mounted refractor by Broadhurst, Clarkson & Co, dating to the early 20th century, circa 1930. Per...
Brass
$2,211
H 18.12 in W 16.93 in D 6.7 in
A small mid 19th C brass telescope with an original folding brass tripod stand
Located in Central England, GB
This fine and very rare small scale brass telescope is a delightful piece of Victorian engineering with quality optics. The telescope has a fixed barrel with an unusual focusing mec...
Brass
$430Sale Price|20% Off
H 0.99 in W 17.92 in D 2.56 in
Vintage Rolling Rule English Brass Scientific Instrument, Navigation, circa 1950
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage rolling rule. An English, brass scientific instrument to aid navigation, dating to the mid-20th century, circa 1950. Attractive period instrument Displays a des...
Brass
$854
H 6.3 in W 15.75 in D 1.58 in
Actinometer Antique Measuring Instrument made by Griffin & Tatlock London in 30s
By Griffin & Tatlock ltd
Located in Milan, IT
Herschel actinometer, 1930s, wood and brass, signed Griffin & Tatlock ltd London. It is an instrument invented in 1825 by John Herschel and used for the measurement of the solar heat...
Wood
$2,000
H 10.25 in W 11.5 in D 8.5 in
Antique Griffin London England Cast Iron Brass Scientific Spectroscope 12"
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Griffin London brass scientific laboratory spectroscope used to separate light into its spectral components (a spectrum) for analysis. Features a three-arm design mounted on...
Brass, Iron
$805Sale Price|20% Off
H 7.09 in W 11.23 in D 4.34 in
Antique Surveyor's Level, English, Brass, Scientific Instrument, Halden & Sons
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique surveyor's level. An English, brass scientific instrument by J. Halden & Sons of Manchester, dating to the early 20th century, circa 1920. Appealing level with ...
Brass
A Large 19th Century Brass Table Top Telescope Marked A. Bardou, Paris
By A. Bardou
Located in San Francisco, CA
A large and impressive 19th century French brass table top telescope marked A. Bardou, Paris. (Denis Albert Bardou; 1841 - 1893) In original fitted wood box. The telescope is mounte...
Brass, Iron
$4,558
H 68.12 in W 25.6 in D 25.6 in
1910s French Brass Telescope on Tripod, Maison Luenette de B. 1910
Located in Marbella, ES
An exceptional early 20th-century French telescope, crafted from brass with its original wooden tripod mount. The piece boasts an elegant aged patina and meticulously detailed mechan...
Bronze
19th Century Italian Venetian Grotto Settee by Pauly et Cie
By Pauly et Cie
Located in Queens, NY
Italian Venetian Grotto (19th cent.) silver gilt settee with triple seashell seat and dolphin & seahorse motif (att: Pauly et Cie, Venice)
Silver Leaf
Tourmaline "Parrot", Brazil
Located in New York, NY
TOURMALINE Aricanga Mine, Sao Jose da Safira, Minas Gerais, Brazil 9 cm tall x 2.1 cm diameter Crystals of this type are sometimes referred to as "Parrot" crystals due to the multi-...
Other
Handsome Pair of Trompe l'oeil Book Brackets
By Theodore Alexander
Located in Hopewell, NJ
An unusual pair of carved wood faux leather book brackets having embossed gold decoration.
Wood
Liddicoatite Tourmaline, Madagascar
Located in New York, NY
Liddicoatite, Tourmaline Anjanbonoina, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar 16.5 cm tall x 11.4 cm diameter Liddicoatite is an uncommon form of tourmaline. It was first discovered in Mada...
Other
$14,307
H 21.66 in W 22.84 in D 3.94 in
Magnificent fossil, ammonite, approximately 335 million years of existence.
Located in Nice, Cote d' Azur
Magnificent fossil, ammonite, France, Prehistoric, approximately 335 million years of existence. Height 55 cm, width 58 cm.
Stone
Collection of Museum Minerals in Display Case
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A collection of museum minerals in a display case. Presented in a sleek glazed case, the set includes 48 European minerals, including a gold vial, a rock with traces of gold, lapis l...
Natural Fiber
$165,000
H 3.35 in W 2.76 in D 1.19 in
Dioptase, Omaue Mine, Kaokoveld Plateau, Kunene Region, Namibia
Located in New York, NY
Dioptase, Omaue Mine, Kaokoveld Plateau, Kunene region, Namibia Measures: 8.5 cm tall x 7 cm wide Dioptase, once believed to be emerald when first encountered, is amongst the mos...
Other
$43,243 / set
H 0.1 in W 0.1 in D 0.1 in
Antique Custom Engraved by Tiffany Sterling Silver Flatware Set Service 67 Pcs
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Big Bend, WI
Edward Moore, designer of this pattern, dominated the first era of Tiffany made flatware and designed several full lines of sterling patterns. Moore's father manufactured for Tiffany...
Sterling Silver
Austin & Seeley Gothic Style Armillary Sundial
By Austin & Seeley
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A striking focal point for any garden, this impressive sundial pairs a mid 19th century gothic style stone pedestal by Austin and Seeley (unsigned) circa 1840, with a 20th century st...
Stone, Composition, Metal, Steel
$39,772
H 15.75 in W 19.69 in D 1.97 in
Collection of 57 Decorative Butterfly Taxidermy Cases.Real Butterfly Art Display
Located in Leuven , BE
In the past, amateur entomologists and scientists often collected butterflies. For example, in the Victorian age, it was a wide spread educational leisure activity. This restored and...
Organic Material
$1,596Sale Price|44% Off
H 10 in W 13.25 in D 10 in
1700s Colonial Hand-Forged Strongbox Verdigris Green Jewelry Table Chest Safe
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Hand Wrought Lock Box. Beautiful patina. Painted inside with date, which is after the original creation date. Box W 13.25 x D 10 x H 10 in. Key L 4 in.
Metal
$17,693 / set
H 21.66 in W 8.27 in D 4.73 in
Fine and Rare Pair of Large Rose Medallion Lidded Vases, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality large pair of 19th century Chinese rose medallion or Cantonese lidded vases, each with female figures as finials and handles to the sides. Having the classical gr...
Porcelain
17th Century Italian Ecclesiastical Lectern
Located in Round Top, TX
A stunning and exceptional 17th century ecclesiastical lectern from the north of Italy. The solid wood column has a polychromed faux marble finish as verde antico marble. The putti s...
Wood
Mahogany Museum Cabinet from the V & A Museum, London
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A superb quality museum display case or cabinet from the world famous Victoria and Albert (V&A) museum in London. This was in use from C 1900 into the 2000s. There are four drawers ...
Mahogany, Glass, Wood
Vintage Wood Industrial Mold, c. 1880
Located in Napa, CA
Large, handcrafted Industrial mold. Used in sand casting processes to create Industrial machine parts in metal. Has a hanger in back, can be attached directly to a wall and also come...
Metal
$1,688Sale Price|20% Off
H 4.93 in W 13.19 in D 11.82 in
Antique Cased Octant, Scottish, Ebony, Navigation Instrument, Sextant, Victorian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique cased octant. A Scottish, ebony navigational instrument, dating to the Victorian period, circa 1850. Appealing navigation instrument with fascinating display inte...
Ebony, Walnut
Decorating with vintage, new and antique scientific instruments, as well as other authentic collectibles and curiosities that can be found on 1stDibs, presents an opportunity to create a unique, natural history museum-like atmosphere in your home that can provoke conversation as often as it pays tribute to how far we’ve come in understanding our world.
The Age of Discovery (or the Age of Exploration) refers to a period during the 15th to 18th centuries that saw Europeans taking to the high seas to explore, trade and conquer various regions of the world. What we know about geography, the advancement of sea vessels and the development of scientific instruments all broadened significantly during this time.
With every new finding about our world, scientists invented tools to measure and record. While many of these objects are now obsolete, they are essentially works of art and have a rich history. Scientific instruments of a bygone era represent how far science and technology have advanced.
If you’re interested in introducing antique scientific instruments and tools to your decor to add contrast or draw attention to otherwise unexplored corners of your living room or dining room, there are many options to consider as far as textures and colors go. Like any curious decorative object that draws attention to your home library or mantel, vintage scientific instruments will likely add spirit to any conversation that might take place over cocktails or dinner.
Create an intriguing focal point with Georgian scientific instruments, such as stick barometers with mahogany cases or lacquered brass telescopes. These items stem from an era named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who ruled England in succession starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign, which lasted until 1837). Just as there was beautiful jewelry produced during the period that today is coveted by collectors, there is much to be found in the collectibles and curiosities realm too.
Mid-century modern scientific instruments also capture a period of rapid progress, representing groundbreaking discoveries that defined the 20th century. Wouldn’t antique anatomical models of the 1950s pair well with your eye-catching abstract paintings, George Nelson clock or Florence Knoll sofa?
Whether you’re looking for a way to showcase your passion for chemistry or aviation or are making room in your foyer for a breathtaking industrial-style electronic time tower manufactured by Patek Philippe, 1stDibs offers a collection of vintage, new and antique scientific instruments that includes topographic tools, laboratory equipment and more.
It's hard to resist the allure of a beautiful pool. So, go ahead and daydream about whiling away your summer in paradise.
It’s never too early for good design. These interiors combine elevated furnishings and a youthful spirit, resulting in spaces that are at once elegant and whimsical.
Produced in 1843, the well-preserved volume is evidence of the author's exacting specifications.
New or old, the coverlets add old-time charm to any space.
Get into the games! These items celebrate the events, athletes, host countries and sporting spirit.
French trendsetter and serial collector Daniel Rozensztroch tells us about his obsession with objects related to seafaring men.
The sought-after designer worked with the team at Hoffman Creative to produce a monograph that beautifully showcases some of Studio Shamshiri's most inspiring projects.
Italian writer and collector Umberto Pasti opens the doors to his remarkable cave of wonders in North Africa.