Antique Tools and Instruments

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.