Pair of Lombard Lanterns, Walnut and Glass, Italy 17th Century

19th Century / 1801 - 1900, 17th Century / 1601 - 1700

Brass and steel iron scale with spring system; it comes with 3 sets of cup weights; one consisting of six elements, two with houses (the outermost weight in the form of a case with a lid) and with six and five weights respectively. The latter, which is older than the rest of the lot and dates back to the 17th century, is stamped with a chalice on the outer part, while each of the inner weights has a triangle within which a six-pointed star is inscribed.

"Butterfield a Paris"

Leveller set square with plumb line, in gilded brass, signed “Butterfield a Paris”; there also is the inscription "pouces de Roy". Michael Butterfield (1635-1724) was an English watchmaker who moved to Paris around 1663, where he worked at the royal court and was appointed engineer by Louis XIV. He opened a shop of precision instruments, and specialized, in particular, in the production of sundials. Among his main customers is the Tsar Peter the Great, who also visited the workshop in 1717.