Richter Drafting Set

Richter Drafting Set

Surveying, Architecture

Physical Description

This Richter drafting set has an original wooden case covered in a thin black leather and shaped with brass wire. The top of the case is stamped in gold with a company logo reading: “Pracision|E.O. Richter & Co; Arctic Coal Company|Spitzbergen”. The brass bar-lock is functioning. The blue velvet interior provides a space for each individual steel drafting tool. There are 12 spaces on the interior and only 11 instruments remain. The steel instruments each have a unique function in this drafting set, but they are all characterized by small screws and wheels that easily facilitate precise and small adjustments. This set contains a various compasses, pens and extra lead, and other attachments. Some tools display very small company logos. 

Functional Description

This drafting set includes a compass, divider, ruling pens, screwdriver, spare parts, and replaceable needle points and extensions. Engineers, architects, and artists used these tools for creating precise drawings and layouts of various types. Arcs, straight lines, and circles can all be precisely created through the use of each individual tool. Today, drafting sets and tools are still used, but the introduction of CAD (computer-aided design and drafting) has somewhat replaced the art form of design with drafting tools. 

Savannah de Luca

c. 1900

For a similar see, see the one catalogued at the NMAH at the Smithsonian.

English

Physical object

ST 372

Case Length: 26cm

Case: Leather, velvet, wood (unknown type) or plastic, brass wire;
Instruments: steel

E. O. Richter and Co., Chemnitz, Germany

Case: Pracision/E.O. Richter & Co; Arctic Coal Company/Spitzbergen; VII.P. Tools: PAT.AUG 9.92/MAY 7.95; DRGM[SYMBOL]; D.R. Pat; DRP

The fact that the case it labeled with the name of the Arctic Coal Co. of Spitzbergen makes it quite likely that it was connected to the Longyear engineering works there. John Longyear was an MTU grad and MTU did an industrial archaeological survey of the remains of the ACC in 2008.

A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum