L55 ANTIQUE 1800s RARE 7 IN DANCING LEG MASTER CALIPERS

We offer for your consideration this set of unmarked steel Victorian Dancing Legs Calipers in the rare 7 inch size, circa mid-late 19th century. Dancing Master Calipers, as they were called, originally appeared in the late 1700s. Who first made the legs of a caliper anatomically correct isn't known. We don't know why machinists began making these unique calipers; only that during the Victorian Period, 1837 to 1901, many woodworking machines and tools were elaborate in design--almost works of art. The Dancing Master calipers of that period tend to be voluptuous and bawdy. You probably won't find any two calipers the same as they were all handmade. Most dancing masters range in size from 3 to 4 inches, so this is a rare larger 7 inch model. See our other listings for more of this type. References: Antique Tools Our American Heritage by Kathryn McNerney, A Museum of Early American Tools by Eric Sloane, The Antique Tool Collectors Guide to Value / by Ronald S. Barlow; Collectors Encyclopedia of 19th Century Hardware, Cutlery Tools, Kitchen, Small Farm Equipment, and Miscellaneous Items / by L W Book Sales; Antique Trader Tools Price Guide 2nd Ed. / by Clarence Blanchard

Excellent antique condition: scratches & scuffs