Guilloché

1750 - 1820

Guilloche is a ornament achieved by mechanically engraving motifs on a surface of ivory, metal (silver) or wood and sometimes also on horn, bone or tortoiseshell. With this lathe, that can be done both concentrically and eccentrically in thirteen different rosettes. The creation of guilloche on oivory was an activity often carried out at the European courts and in aristocratic circles - e.g. by Charles of Lorraine (1712-1780) and the Russian tsar Peter the Great (1672-1725), which explains the existence of de luxe lathes such as this one.

• Places and dates

  Europe, 1750? - 1820? (Production)

• Materials

  Wood , Copper , Steal

• Dimensions

  • Height: 1290 mm (Total)
  • Width: 1420 mm (Total)
  • Depth: 730 mm (Total)

• Category

  Machine tools

• Object number

  S58/75