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Callipers have in-curved arms (whereas compasseses have straight arms) and are used to measure the diameter, radius, or distance between two points. Lavinia Smith acquired these callipers from a local wheelwright, from the Oxfordshire or Berkshire area, who probably made them for his own use. They are made of wood and the two arms are hinged at the top by a rivet, and the diameter would be read off the convex slide on which the figures are marked in pencil.

1 pair of callipers; wooden

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'Callipers are distinguished from compasses in that the former have semi-circular in curved arms while the compasses are straight-shafted. Callipers are indispensable to such craftsmen as the turner, whether with wood or metal, to measure the diameter of a stick or box or bowl, when rounded on a lathe. // These callipers were obtained by Miss Smith from a local wheelwright. They are wooden and are hinged by a top rivet. A thin arm, which in this case is partly broken off, is fixed to the right shaft and it slides through a slot in the left. When thrust upon the revolving material on the lathe, the open jaws of the callipers are thrust apart to meet the diameter of what is being measure. The size can then be read off from the convex shaped slide on which the figures are marked in pencil. At the end of the left shaft is a small pointed metal stud for placing on the material to be measured, but this stud is missing from the right hand shaft. // The tool, which seems to have been made by the craftsman for his own use, has a pair of shafts, each 20 inches in length from top to bottom. The measuring slide, part of which is broken off is made of three ply wood and is possibly a recent repair to the original tool.', Lavinia Smith Catalogue (D60/28) - 'A list of the contents of the East Hendred museum. July 5 1940 // Small articles on the Wood Table // 109. Wooden calipers [sic] used and made by the wheelwright.', Lavinia Smith Catalogue (D60/28) [page 39] - '19 in // [pencil sketch] // Wooden Calipers [sic] // Wheelwright's Tool'

Rippon, Miss Dorothy May Lyddon (Agent)