Unusual Antique Ruler....What Is It Used For?

[Joeyd]

Have never seen a tapered (3/4" down to 3/8") 4 sided rule like this before and have no idea how and what it was used for. Only markings is "Paris" which is on all sides near the brass tip. Anyone have a clue? Thanks.

 

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[frankendime]

The dipstick theory just does not hold water with me. No pun intended. Why would it need to be tapered? Would not whatever liquid being measured stain the wood after repeated usage?

 

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[Bigcypresshunter]

The dipstick theory just does not hold water with me. No pun intended. Why would it need to be tapered? Would not whatever liquid being measured stain the wood after repeated usage?

Maybe the water displacement was affecting the measurement and it was tapered and calibrated for accuracy this way. Or maybe I am just guessing...

 

[uglymailman]

Some gas stations still use a dip stick that are square, but they are several feet long. Surveyors measure in tenths/hundredths. Builders build in inches/feet. No idea what it is but good luck.

 

[Ism]

I've seen something similar in an old logging mill to measure the girth of the log however it was steel and 3-4ft long with a foot. I have a short one that has a wooden slide Used for a depth gauge.

 

[timekiller]

With the taperd end & the brass looking foot piece,the first thing I would think of is a leg to something.And the first thing in that shape that comes to mind is a retractable tri pod leg.Much like the pic. below.
Take Care,
Pete,

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Is it just tapered on the end or is it gradually tapered the entire length?








I still think the key to a Google search is to find the Paris company of manufacture. I dont have time to search but its our best solid clue IMO.

 

[Joeyd]

Bigcypress....the rule is tapered the entire length. Thanks all for the ideas, someone out there knows exactly what this is and hopefully will chime in soon.

 

[Mackaydon]

Reminds me of a wedge style taper guage--similar to model # ITG 270B found here:
Metric Taper Gauge Wedge Gage & Custom Bent Gage Pin
Don.....

 

[CRUSADER]

Normally used in those days for smacking naughty kids.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Im surprised this is not solved yet. Some good guesses and thoughts but nothing of proof yet.

I took some time but I cant come up with some good search words. Its got to be on the internet somewhere. I cant find a single PARIS rule in any of my books.

I did however find a older fold up rule on eBay and I think its a major clue. ANTIQUE F. ASTON & SONS 4 FOLD 24" WOOD BRASS RULE VERY RARE PARIS LONDON SCALE | eBay

It says

24", 4 FOLD BOXWOOD & BRASS RULE​

WITH VERY RARE SCALE - FRENCH (PARIS, ON ONE SIDE, not in metric scale) AND ENGLISH (LONDON, ON OTHER SIDE)

The eBay ad unfortunately does not show the a pic of the PARIS stamp but it does show LONDON on the other side.

2 different scales and on one side is in the rare PARIS scale of 1/12ths. What does this mean?

I think it means a 1/12ths scale was used in some particular trade in France.​

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

The rule may not be made in Paris but the rare 1/12ths scale was used in France.

 

[Joeyd]

Bigcypress....good work. I think if one can determine what / how the 1/12th scale was used, you may can figure this rule out!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Now I have some more words to Google like
"paris scale" "French scale" "french inch"

Here is another rare Paris scale in 1/12ths but they dont know what it was used for. KERBY BROS. NY Bench Rule w/ Brass Tips - PARIS Scal (01/18/2011)...

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Is the Paris Inch equal to an American Inch?

 

[Bramblefind]

I'm not sure about this ... but maybe something to it. BigCy your research led me to this- could it be used for measuring the fingers of long gloves?

How does my hand compare to the foot of Emperor Charles the Great?

How does my hand compare to the foot of Emperor Charles the Great?

Traditional measurements and sizing
One of the most ancient glove making regions is Grenoble in France. In this region, they used the pouce (in other languages: inch, zoll, hüvelyk) as measurement. This length measurement, as most of the measurements at the time, was linked to the emperor’s body. The French pouce was based on the shoe size of Charles the Great. Charles the Great is considered the founding father of France and Germany; sometimes he is even referred to as the father of Europe. He was the first Emperor in Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. One Charles-the-Great-type foot equals 32.484 cm, and it was divided into 12 parts called zolls. These measurements were also used by Hungarian glove makers.
The exact length the same name refers to varies by country:
English inch – 25.40 mm
German zoll – 25.40 mm
Russian inch – 25.41 mm
Wiener zoll – 26.34 mm
French inch – 27.07 mm
The development of 17th century manufacturing, the forming of international markets, and later the industrial revolution each pushed the industry towards the standardization of measurements. The solution was the introduction of the metric system in 1791. However, traditional measuring tools are still in use internally at many workshops.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

It may be called "French Inches" I found this French Gunners caliper. I dont think your is that old though but interesting. TESSERACT -- Antique Scientific Instruments -- Demonstration, Experimentation & Calculation

RARE FRENCH GUNNER'S CALIPERS, c. 1800, signed "Baradelle a Paris," 7-1/2" (19 cm) long (closed), of brass with finely inset steel tips. One side is engraved with a linear scale of (French) inches and twelfths; diagonal lines for "Canon en Bronce:" (using the Spanish spelling of "bronze"!) and calibrated 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 18, 24, and 36, for direct readout when placing the calipers on the inside diameter of the cannon bore; a circular scale around the hinge, similarly calibrated and labeled "Boulet," for direct readout when placing the calipers on the outside diameter of a cannon ball. The other side has an edge scale of decimeters, centimeters, and millimeters, and diagonal lines for "Canon en Fer." Condition is very fine throughout.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I'm not sure about this ... but maybe something to it. BigCy your research led me to this- could it be used for measuring the fingers of long gloves?

Good possibility. I see there is much information out there on "French Inch" but its a lot to read. The French Inch may be about 1/16 inch longer than the English Inch.

"A French inch was 2.71 centimeters while an Imperial inch is 2.54 ..."

If a delivery truck used that to measure gas, milk or whatever, the driver would be short at the end of every day..

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Maybe we could see a picture of it inside a glove finger?

Where did you obtain such an item?

 

[Joeyd]

Bigcypress....the 1/16" longer than the English Inch is exactly what I measured and I do think this is absolutely the correct area to be looking . For a brief moment, when I read one of your posted articles, I kinda was starting to check out a different area as one of your posted links mentioned a relation to cannons and there was actually a cannon related implement found along with the rule but I really don't think there is any relation.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I go with the glove theory. Here is something on the Tariff hearings before the House Committee on ways and means...1908-09...
Tariff hearings before the Committee ...: Sixtieth Congress 1908-1909 ... - United States. Congress. House. Committee on Ways and Means - Google Books

It says the French Glove rule was used in the makings of gloves in every country.