Antique Tools and Instruments

by Luigi Nessi; Alessandro Cesati; Peter Plassmayer, Richard J. Wattenmaker, Alessandro Cesati

Utensils, tools, and instruments manufactured from the Renaissance through the mid-19th century are featured in this lavish collection of photographs and writings that highlight the artistry of objects used in the sciences, crafts, trades, and home. Cultural commentary offers a contextualization of the objects with a focus on such issues as the relationship between the object and the way it is portrayed in paintings, engravings, and illustrations; how the functional purpose guided the choice of materials and the addition of symbolic decoration; and how certain objects reflect a shift from artisan-based craft to industrial production. Astrolabes, surgical instruments, sundials, and implements for smoking are among the objects exhibited in this rarely displayed private collection.

368 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2004