Instrument Analysis

Our object is a case with instruments used in technical drawing: protractors, rulers, ruling pens...

1. Type of artifact: Describe the material from which it was made.
We believe that the outside of our box is wood, a dark brown one and has symbols in a gold colour. The inside is covered with a green velvet and on one side of it, the tuling pens are on top (they are made of metal,) and on the other side, the ruler and the protractor are also on top of the green velvet, however, they are covered by two pieces of wood which seem to be two set-squares which allow only to see part of the ruler and the protractor (these instruments are also made of metal).

2. Special qualities of the artifact: Describe how it looks and feels: shape, color, texture, size, weight, movable parts, anything printed, stamped or written on it.
It has a square shape and inside the box, there are pointy tools called ruling pens, the ruler has a rectangular shape and the protractor has the shape of a middle circle. 
With regards to the colour, it is if a dark brown wood outside with details in gold and inside it is green and the tools are of a metal oxidated colour.
As we have not touched neither the box or the instruments inside, we do not know exactly how it feels like to touch the object, nevertheless, we imagine that outside it must have a rough texture while inside it must be furry and smooth and the tools must be quite cold.
Regarding the size, the case seems to be a bit bigger than a hand, maybe a hand and a half and talking about the ruling pens, there are some photographs that show that they are of different sizes, some are of 9 cm, others of 13 cm (aproximately, as we can not see very clearly the numbers of the ruler) and then, the ruler is about 16 cm.
The same as before, as we have not hold the case, we do not know how much it weighs but as it must be transported from place to place and is quite small, we do not expect that it weighs very much, it must be quite light.
Talking about if you can move anything, there is a handle that turns that allows to take out the ruler, the protractor and the two set-squares.
Finally, as we have said before, there are gold details on the top of the case with gold decoration. The gold details represent the letters GS, which probably are the initials of the person who made the case, who used it, or maybe both.


3. Uses of the artifact

a. What might it have been used for?
This case was used for technical drawing. For those who do not know it, technical drawing is the form of composing plans that visually communicate how something functions or is going to be constructed, which means that it is essential for the engineering or for architects, for example.
The reason why we know it is used for technical drawing is that it contains rulers, protractors, set-squares and ruling pens. Ruler, protractors and set-squares can also be used in other contexts, like, for example, in a geometry class, however, ruling pens have only one reason to be used, which is technical drawing.

b. Who might have used it?
The people who might have used it are draftsmen and draftswomen. If you do not know what a draftsman or a draftswoman, here is a quick definition: The work of the draftsman is the realization of the sketch, the final pencil and sometimes inking.
So, the people who used it where those who were really into or their job was to draw sketches, ink them...

c. Where/when might it have been used? 
Even though ruling pens are really old, the ones in our case must be from the XIX or XX century. We have looked in web pages which sell cases with ruling pens and we have seen many of them from the beginning of the XX century who are quite similar to our object, here are some of the images we have found:




All these cases are from the year 1900 and our object is very similar to it, so we think that it's from the end of the XIX century or the beginning or the XX.

d. How does it work?
Even though we have already explained in a previous post how ruling pens work, we will write it again: The pen makes its mark by being pulled and the ink is dragged out of the side of the instrument. The width varies by changing the tip of the pen. Using the pointed tip gives the chance to make small letters whereas working with the side of the tool, greater width strokes are possible.
Nowadays, however, the tips can be changed so you can buy different widths tips and can use the same pen and it draw different widths lines'.

4. What does the artifact tell us?

a. What does it tell us about technology of the time in which it was made and used? What would you use today to do the same thing? Why is this technology so old fashioned? What wasn’t invented yet that would have improved it?
The case has three tools used in technical drawing, so we will talk about each:

• Rulers and protractors are still used nowadays in many different contexts such as math classes, engineering... So, it does not tell us much about the technolgy of the time in which it was made and used, furthermore, they are still used (even though they are also made of wood and plastic). This object is not old fashioned because depending on the use you are going to give to the ruler, you use one material or another; for example, metal for experts and plastic for students.
• Ruling pens are not used nowadays so it tells us that the technology used in the time in which it was made and used was not very advanced. Ruling pens are used to draw accurate lines of different widths in technical drawing, so, nowadays, what we would use instead of ruling pens, we would use either computers (technology) because there are programmes in which they draw everything more accurate than you would ever be possible to draw and you have to make a lower effort or, maybe, if you are not able to have a computer or you do not like them, artists use rotring art pen.  They are used for the same, however, they are made of different materials and most importantly, the tip is rechargeable so you can draw with the same pen different widths, the lines are more accurate and the ink comes in different packs so you can buy it you don't get dirty, it is more clean and easier to use... Ruling pens are old fashioned because they are quite difficult to use (you have to put the ink, learn to use it, learn how to clean it), they are less accurate... One way in which it could have improved would have been been that the packs of ink would have been invented so cleaning the ruling pen would not have been necessary, you would not get dirty and it would have been easier to use. 

b. What does it tell us about the life and times of the people who made it and used it? Who would have used it? – Richer/poorer people? Why did they want to/have to use it? Was it popular / fashionable? Was it essential or not? Would it have been used every day?
This case tells us the initials of either the person who made it or used it, however, we have not been able to discover who was that person (initials: GS).
This case would use it draftsmen or women, which were poorer people, in the sense that they were not nobles or privileged people, they were of a middle class.
They had to use it to draw accurate lines with ink of different widths. Before the ruling pen, they probably used quills, however, with them, they were not able to change the width of the line, so if they needed to do something with a wider line, they were not able to do it, so the need of something to change the widths of the line appeared and the ruling pen was invented.
We believe that it would have been popular between the art world, in the sense that it may had been popular between the people who were into technical drawing, but the rest of the population maybe did not even knew that it existed.
We think that it was essential as in technical drawing everything needs to be very accurate and precise, so you also need to draw accurate lines, with the exact width.
With regards to if it would have been used every day we have got to the conclusion that between the people that their job was to do technical drawing, it would have been used every day that they worked (because, for example, maybe they rested two days each week) but the rest of the people would not use it.

c. Can you name a similar item today? What came before and after it? What were the problems with using it that we have improved on today?
Athough we have already written this in this post above, we will write it again:
Rulers and protractors are still used nowadays.
And, a similar item to Ruling pens today would be the Rotring art pen (Rotring is the brand because it is the only one which sells it nowadays) as it is used for the same thing (draw accurate lines of different widths).  Also, computer programmes are also used nowadays for the same which does not need any effort.
Before the Ruling pen there was the quill and after, the Rotring art pen and the computer (its programmes for technical drawing)
The problems with ruling pens that have been improved are:

• With ruling pens you had to learn how to put the ink inside and with the Rotring art pen they sell ink packs so you only have to put the pack inside and you can use it.
• With ruling pens you could get dirty, however, with the Rotring art pen you don't.
• With ruling pens you had to make a bigger effort than with computer programmes.
• With ruling pens you had to learn how to use it, nevertheless, with Rotring art pens it is like a normal pen.
• With ruling pens you could only have two widths (the point of the tip or the side of it) however, with the Rotring art pen you can buy a wide variety of different widths of tips.
• While ruling pens would oxidize, computers and Rotring art pens do not.

5. Photograph your artifact as much as you can
All the images that we have of the object have been done by the students from Prague:

Images of ruling pens and tools with the same function

1. The first image is a ruling pen.
2. The second and the third images are writing quills (quill pen)
3. Finally, the fourth image is a rapidograh, more exactly, a rotring rapidograph (Rotring is the one of the few brands that continues making these type of pens)

Why don't we use ruling pens anymore?

We generally don't use ruling pens anymore because, even though before everyone drew with the rulers, the pens, exact lines, set squares.... Nowadays, we have computers, with extremely up-to-date programmes that can do the work of the tools before mentioned.

Before, we had the need to use these instruments because there wasn't anything that you could use that would do the same work as precise as them, nevertheless, now we have computers and the latest programs, why shouldn't we use the technology?

Technology should do our life easier and if technical drawing is better (more precise) and you have to do less effort, we think it's a good idea that we use computers.

Yet, there will always be people that will continue to use old traditional tools and that is the reason why you can still see them in some shops and there are sales in which you can buy them.

To make you an idea, the price of buying an old traditional wooden box with ruling pens in it is 90€, and buying a complete new computer is 500€ (and then you have to pay for the Word, Powerpoint or the programme that you use). 

So, if we look both prices, even though ruling pens need you to make a bigger effort we think that it would be a better idea to continue using them because we are in the middle of an economical crisis and many people do not have a lot of money which would be even worse if you have to buy a computer. Plus, we think it is important to continue with old traditions, as you start trying the new technologies as well.

How do we use this instrument?

"The pen makes its mark by being pulled and the ink is dragged out of the side of the instrument. The width varies by changing the tip of the pen. Using the pointed tip gives the chance to make small, fine letters. Working with the side of the tool, greater width strokes are possible.

Because the color is pulled out the side, there is greater inconsistency to the edge of the letterform. Add a rough-textured paper and the result is an even coarser edge. Often, splatters appear on the paper as the color is flung out when the pen is drawn across the uneven surface." (Bliblioforge.biz,2013)

Origin of the ruling pen

We have passed weeks looking for the origin of the ruling pen, and it has been impossible to find the year in which the first ruling pen was used (its invention), so, what we have done is look for things that have gone before (which is nothing, as the ruling pen was the first tool with the usage of drawing lines...) and instruments that have gone after: quill, rotring art pen...

So, the instrument that came just after the ruling pen was the quill, that was invented in the year 1827 which means that the ruling pen appeared before the year before mentioned.

In the Middle Ages, the printing house was invented, so we think that between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the need of tracing accurate lines with ink of different widths, maybe to write or something similar.

So, we have got to the conclusion that between the Middle  Ages and the Renaissance, the ruling pen was invented.

Our decision

However, the father of one member of our group is an industrial engineer. He has helped us to specify what this kit contains. He knows what it is because one of the subjects you have to do if you choose to be an industrial engineer is technical drawing. Plus, he has even used the material inside this kit when he was studying.

He has told us that it is a ruling pen. Now, you may think that a ruling pen is just a pen, however, it isn't. A drawing pen is a sharp object which is no longer used as it has been replaced by technology but very useful when technology did not play such an important role in our life.

The first image is a ruling pen. The second image is our object. As you can see it's pretty much the same object even though our kit seems to be a bit more older (it's now our task to try and discover the time in which it was made)

Ruling pen

The ruling pen is an old drawing tool used to draw lines with ink or other liquids used to draw. It allows tracing lines of different widths using the screw which provides adjustment

How do ruling pens look like nowadays?

This is what ruling pens look like now. As you can see, they have changed everything in their aspect.

1. Before, ruling pens had a screw to regulate the width of the ink line, however, nowadays, there are different types of pens depending on the width that you want (so they don't need any screw)
2. Before, they were much less accurate than now as before you had to adjust the width of the line with the screw, however, nowadays, you have different tip for the pen so that it's not an approximate width.
3. Before, they were made of a metallic material, however, nowadays, they are made of plastic, maybe so that they don't oxidize.

Sizes

Ruling pens are classified by their diameter (in millimetres). We will explain it using the next image:

For example, 0.18 represents 18% of a millimetre, 0.25 is 25% of a millimetre, 0.35 is 35% of a millimetre and so on. The smallest tips are about 0.2 and 0.09. People normally use Chinese ink with technical drawing pens.




Our box

Our box also has some rulers, a protractor... These are also instruments to draw and are used in technical drawing.

• A ruler is an instrument used in geometry, technical drawing, printing... to measure distances (usually in centimetres) or to draw straight lines.
• A protractor is a measuring instrument that measures angles in degrees so they can be used in a wide variety of contexts but mainly in engineering and geometry lessons in schools.

Ruler and protractor in our box (above)

 

Ruler and protractor nowadays (above)

Second investigation

In our second investigation, we tried to open our minds and try to think in other possibilities that our object could be. We asked our teacher and he told us that it could be a box with utensils to draw technical drawing.

Technical drawing is an exact way of communicating data about the shape and size of objects. It should be as accurate as possible. 

So, we thought that maybe these instruments were used to draw maps. Looking at this image, the object that we have circled in red might be a compass. Compasses are used to draw circles, so they are necessary for technical drawing. 

The first thing that we thought when we saw the "compass" (we write this word between quotation marks because we are not 100% certain that it is a compass) is the world.  After a few researches, we found out that the word used to say "to draw maps" is cartography.

Cartography

After reading the definition of technical drawing, you can suppose that cartography is a way of technical drawing.

The reason why we draw maps is so that everyone knows the exact shape of the Earth, each ocean, continent, country, sea and the size of everything so that for example, sailors can know how to guide themselves and do not hit with land because the map was not drawn accurately. However, maps are not only used for people that travel (like pilots or sailors), they can also be used by weathermen to know where will the next storm hit, others can be used to help people study mountains and oceans...

The first map

• The first known map belongs to the Babilonian Empire and is commonly dated to the 6th century BC.
• It shows our world form the perspective of Babylonia. The map was incised on a clay tablet.

• It was discovered in the south of Iraq and was published in 1899 and nowadays can be found at the British Museum.

Changes in cartography

These two images show how cartography changed before people know the existance of the new continent of America (up) and  after (down) its discovery. The map we can see on the right is almost perfect. We can see Australia (which is a country that previous maps do not show) and the shapes and sizes of the continents are more accurate than previous ones.


Cartography nowadays

Since the mid 1900s, technology has helped proffesional cartographers to produce maps much more accurate. Modern computers can store and transmit huge amounts of mapping data and then with those data produce maps using sophisticated machines. There have been produced advanced cameras that can transmit data from outer space and mapsp which show nearly any place in Earth.

Traditional map-making involved ground observation. Nowadays, ground observation is used mainly to verify details of maps using more sophisticated techniques.