Working tool Antique - Craniology suitable for antiques
07
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€ 1
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Selected by Constance Rousseau
Master marquetry craftswoman with 4 years' expert experience. Trainee auctioneer at Sotheby's Paris.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
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Antique craniology caliper dating to 1850–1900, made of brass and iron, in good used condition with minor signs of aging and spots, measuring 30 cm high, 15.5 cm wide and 1.5 cm deep, style Antique.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Craniometry calipers medical antique
This is an early caliper instrument. Think 1800s.
The little parts used are typical in forms used in the 18th century.
Rare instrument
A craniometer is a measuring instrument that was used in the 18th and 19th centuries to accurately map the dimensions and shape of human skulls. The instrument was at the time employed within phrenology and early anthropology, disciplines that unjustly tried to infer intelligence and
character traits from skull measurements.
Background and History
• Phrenology: The idea that the shape of the skull determined a person’s intellectual and moral capacities. The Viennese physician Franz Joseph Gall (1758-1828) laid the groundwork for this pseudoscience in the late 18th century.
• Scientific context: In the 18th century, the Age of Enlightenment, there was a strong urge to categorize and quantify human anatomy. Craniometry (skull measurement) was seen as an objective method to map humanity.
A specific 'craniologie passer' (often called craniometer or caliper) is a measuring instrument that was mainly used within anthropology to record skull measurements. Today, similar instruments are used in pediatrics to assess skull shape in babies.
Craniometry calipers medical antique
This is an early caliper instrument. Think 1800s.
The little parts used are typical in forms used in the 18th century.
Rare instrument
A craniometer is a measuring instrument that was used in the 18th and 19th centuries to accurately map the dimensions and shape of human skulls. The instrument was at the time employed within phrenology and early anthropology, disciplines that unjustly tried to infer intelligence and
character traits from skull measurements.
Background and History
• Phrenology: The idea that the shape of the skull determined a person’s intellectual and moral capacities. The Viennese physician Franz Joseph Gall (1758-1828) laid the groundwork for this pseudoscience in the late 18th century.
• Scientific context: In the 18th century, the Age of Enlightenment, there was a strong urge to categorize and quantify human anatomy. Craniometry (skull measurement) was seen as an objective method to map humanity.
A specific 'craniologie passer' (often called craniometer or caliper) is a measuring instrument that was mainly used within anthropology to record skull measurements. Today, similar instruments are used in pediatrics to assess skull shape in babies.
Details
Era
1400-1900
Style
Antique
Country of Origin
Netherlands
Material
Brass and iron
Condition
Good condition - used with small signs of aging & blemishes
Height
30 cm
Width
15.5 cm
Depth
1.5 cm
Estimated period
1850-1900
Title additional information
Craniology suitable for antiques
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