Group of 3 Crayon Holders
date: label: date made
content: 18th century
notes: label: Description
content: An octagonal brass tube with a round handle has a slide that extends its length to 8-5/8". The handle unscrews and can be removed to function as 4-3/8" brass and steel dividers. The other end has an unnumbered one-inch scale divided to twelfths.
label: Description
content: The other two tubes are made of steel and have rings or sleeves that slide up and down to move the crayon and allow the user to grasp the crayon. The 6-1/4" crayon holder is not marked. The 5-1/16" crayon holder has a four-inch scale divided to 1/4" and numbered by ones from 1 to 4. Its top is engraved with a drawing of a bearded man.
label: Description
content: The dates of objects purchased with these writing instruments suggest they were made in the 18th century. Holders for wax crayons, chalk, or charcoal sticks were known in Europe by the 17th century and widespread by the 18th century. They were employed by artists and draftsmen.
label: Description
content: References: Maya Hambly, <i>Drawing Instruments, 1580–1980</i> (London: Sotheby's Publications, 1988), 65–66; Jacob Simon, "The Artist's Porte-Crayon," National Portrait Gallery, London, http://www.npg.org.uk/research/programmes/artists-their-materials-and-suppliers/the-artists-porte-crayon.php.
label: Description
content: Reference:
label: Description
content: Sotheby & Company, Catalogue of a Collection of Scientific Instruments, the Property of the Late Henry Russel Wray, London, 1959 (a copy of the catalogue is in the accession file).
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Europe
topic: label: Subject
content: Drawing Instruments
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Pens and Pencils
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content: Science & Mathematics
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MA.316937
label: accession number
content: 228694
label: catalog number
content: 316937
objectType: label: Object Name
content: crayon holders
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: steel (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 17.5 cm x 1.1 cm x 1.1 cm; 6 7/8 in x 7/16 in x 7/16 in