Scientific Instruments

The Bonhams Scientific Instruments department holds dedicated auctions twice a year, as well as offering property within the Gentleman's Library sale.

We offer instruments and apparatus from the earliest known historical artefacts to items from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Our sales contain microscopes, telescopes, surveying and navigational instruments, globes, sundials, astrolabes, calculators, drawing instruments, barometers and barographs, medical and dental instruments.

Auctions

in Scientific Instruments

Past
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A rare W & S Jones Cometarium, English, early 19th century,
A large Samuel Troll mandoline and bells-in-sight interchangeable cylinder muscial box on stand. Swiss, circa 1880
A rare Kryha-Liliput cipher machine, German, circa 1930,
30 Apr 2013 London, Knightsbridge Auction 20773
Mechanical Music & Scientific Instruments
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A Victorian mahogany library bookcase in the Chippendale revival style
A Roman marble herm depicting Herakles
English School The Craven heifer
29 - 30 Jan 2013 London, Knightsbridge Auction 20448
Gentleman's Library Sale
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The Charles X gold, enamel and split-seed pearl oiseau chantant and musical portrait box.
An Enigma Code Machine in original oak case,No. 13598/jla/44
A fine veri-gold, diamond and ruby embellished singing bird box by Rochet Freres, circa 1825,
14 Nov 2012 London, Knightsbridge Auction 19799
Fine Mechanical Music and Scientific Instruments
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A fine pair of J & W Cary 18-inch terrestrial and celestial globes, English, circa 1835, (2)
An exceptional silver-gilt and enamel singing bird box, by Jacques Bruguier, circa 1830,
A rare Grand Format overture musical box, by Nicole Freres, circa 1862,
3 May 2012 London, Knightsbridge Auction 19798
Fine Mechanical Music and Scientific Instruments
Tompion number 215 bracket clock
Tompion number 215 bracket clock
A rare late 17th century walnut and marquetry inlaid longcase clock with ten inch skeletonised dial and of one month duration. Joseph Knibb, London
A fine and unique mid 19th century engraved gilt brass English giant carriage timepiece with chronometer escapement and of one month duration, with original travelling case and tipsy key Charles Frodsham, 84 Strand, London, AD 1/FMSS 3
13 Dec 2011 London, New Bond Street Auction 19020
Fine Clocks and Scientific Instruments
A George Adams armillary sphere, English, circa 1790
A George Adams armillary sphere, English, circa 1790
A fine and rare William Harris & Co combined planitarium, tellurium and lunarium, English, circa 1825,
A very important silver standing singing bird automaton of a crow, by Bontems, circa 1890,
9 Nov 2011 London, Knightsbridge Auction 19035
Fine Mechanical Music and Scientific Instruments
A good Regina 15.5/8-inch disc musical box-on-stand,
A good Regina 15.5/8-inch disc musical box-on-stand,
An eight air cylinder musical box by Bremond, circa 1890,
A rare Columbia No. 2 typewriter, circa 1888,
17 May 2011 Knowle Auction 19310
Mechanical Music, Cameras & Scientific
Joseph-Marie Jacquard (1752-1854) - a fine woven silk La Mémoire portrait Executed in 1839 on the programmable Jacquard loom by Didter Petit et cie, Lyon,
Joseph-Marie Jacquard (1752-1854) - a fine woven silk La Mémoire portrait Executed in 1839 on the programmable Jacquard loom by Didter Petit et cie, Lyon,
Ramsden no 46 : A brass sextant in mahogany box - Please confirm price with client before cataloguing.
Autophone - automatic coin-operated phonograph, based on the Hexophone pattern.
19 Apr 2011 London, Knightsbridge Auction 19034
Fine Mechanical Music and Scientific Instruments
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An EMG horn gramophone, Mark Xa with 3/4-depth hinged lid,
A fine Polyphon 15.1/2-inch disc musical box, Style 45, circa 1895,
A rare Bryans 'Retreeva' machine, circa 1946,
7 Dec 2010 Knowle Auction 18148
Mechanical Music, Cameras, Scientific & Collectors Items
An important silver standing singing bird automaton, circa 1880, movement most probably Bontems,
An important silver standing singing bird automaton, circa 1880, movement most probably Bontems,
A rare 26-inch Fortuna orchestral coin-operated upright disc musical box, circa 1900,
A good and very early tortoiseshell singing bird box, by Charles Bruguier, circa 1819,
3 Nov 2010 London, Knightsbridge Auction 17970
Mechanical music and Scientific Instruments
A late 19th century walnut upright Polyphon 29
A late 19th century walnut upright Polyphon 29
two-per-turn m/b by Nicole Frerés
A Regina disc musical box, late-type Style 26
18 May 2010 Knowle Auction 18273
Mechanical Music, Scientific, Marine & Collectors Items
An important and fine gold, enamel and split seed-pearl oiseau chantant with timepiece, Frerés Rochat, in the manner of Jaquet-Droz, the case by Jaques-Dauphin Moulinie, circa 1795,
An important and fine gold, enamel and split seed-pearl oiseau chantant with timepiece, Frerés Rochat, in the manner of Jaquet-Droz, the case by Jaques-Dauphin Moulinie, circa 1795,
A fine and rare Richard Glynn silver compass sundial, English, circa 1710,
A rare Francis Watkins brass compound monocular microscope, English, circa 1750,
21 Apr 2010 London, Knightsbridge Auction 17968
Fine Mechanical Music & Scientific Instruments
An important and fine gold, enamel and diamond encrusted singing bird box, by Charles Bruguier, Swiss, circa 1835,
An important and fine gold, enamel and diamond encrusted singing bird box, by Charles Bruguier, Swiss, circa 1835,
Bossu á Paris magician automaton timepiece
A very fine silver-gilt and enamel singing bird box by Bruguier, circa 1825,
10 Nov 2009 London, Knightsbridge Auction 16871
Mechanical Music & Scientific Instruments
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The 'Block III' aeroplane missile guiding television monitoring system, secretly manufactured by RCA for use during WWII, 1944-45,
A John Logie Baird Ltd 'Lyric' television and wireless consolette, 1946,
An extreamly rare John Cuthbert brass reflecting microscope No.35, English, circa 1830,
30 Sep 2009 London, Knightsbridge Auction 17616
The Michael Bennett-Levy Early Technology Sale
Southern Railway nameplate Queen Guinevere, ex-King Arthur Class E454 (BR30454)
Southern Railway nameplate Queen Guinevere, ex-King Arthur Class E454 (BR30454)
Southern Railway nameplate King Arthur, ex-King Arthur Class E453 (BR30453)
Ornamental Turning lathe by W J Evans, approx. 1874
12 May 2009 Knowle Auction 17187
Mechanical Music, Cameras, Railwayana, Fire Service and Police
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A fine and rare quatre-revolver 'Harpe Harmonique-Piccolo Zither' cylinder musical box, retailed by
A fine and scarce ormolu and Japaned-black Chinese Magician automaton timepiece, by E. Robert Houdin, circa 1860,
A large and important Moritz Pillischer "No. 1 First-Class" presentation compound monocular microscope, English, mid 19th century,
28 Apr 2009 London, Knightsbridge Auction 16781
Mechanical Music, Scientific Instruments and the Jeffrey Salmon Collection of Radios
The Baird Television Company; A rare wireless, marketed to receive the Televisor signal, manufacture
The Baird Television Company; A rare wireless, marketed to receive the Televisor signal, manufacture
A rare Oiseau Chantant, with timepiece alarm-actuated cylinder musical movement, Swiss, first quarte
A good Lienhart Miller ivory diptych dial, Nuremberg, dated 1622,
18 Nov 2008 London, Knightsbridge Auction 15842
Scientific, Technological and Mechanical Musical Instruments
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A complete Kingdon’s patent twin tandem quadruple expansion yacht tender steam set by Simpson Strickland and Company Dartmouth Devon circa 1890.
A fine 19th century heavily stitched leather pot bellied creel with belt loop and white painted interior
"Venetian Poppy" an inboard launch
19 Jul 2008 Henley on Thames Auction 15858
The Henley Sale
A fine gold and enamel singing bird box by Brugier, three-quarter size,
A fine gold and enamel singing bird box by Brugier, three-quarter size,
A fine gold and enamel singing bird box by Brugier, full size,
An important and fine gold and enamel musical snuffbox in the from of a book, the movement signed Ni
19 Mar 2008 London, Knightsbridge Auction 15778
Scientific, Technological and Mechanical Musical Instruments
An Italian silver two-handled vase and stand, marked 800,
An Italian silver two-handled vase and stand, marked 800,
18ct gold snuff box
An early George III silver swing-handled basket, maker's mark partially distorted, possibly by John
4 Sep 2007 London, Knightsbridge Auction 14926
Silver & Objects of Vertu including The Crocodile Collection Part II
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"Bessie" a modern slipper stern launch by Peter Freebody
A mid 20th century suite of cast aluminium furniture in the 19th century Gothic style
"BAT" a working scale model radio controlled steam launch 41x10x12in(104x25.5x30.5cm)
21 Jul 2007 Henley on Thames Auction 15246
The Henley Sale
A rare and early brass astrolabe quadrant from the House of Agnes, Canterbury, probably English, 14
A rare and early brass astrolabe quadrant from the House of Agnes, Canterbury, probably English, 14
A fine bone prisoner of war model of a three deck ship 11.5x5.5x8.5in(29x14x21.5cm)
A bone prisoner of war model of a First Rate warship 12x4.7x10in(30.5x12x25.5cm)
21 Mar 2007 London, Knightsbridge Auction 14878
Science & Marine
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An ivory and gold desk seal
A mid-20th century spiny crocodile leather briefcase,
Two Irish silver goblets, maker's mark script J L with pellet between in and fluted oval punch, no d
13 Mar 2007 London, Knightsbridge Auction 14843
Silver, Vertu and the Crocodile Collection Part I
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An Exceptional Cased Lloyd's Patriotic Fund Trafalgar Sword And Belt Of £100 Value To Charles Tyler
A Very Fine Lloyds Patriotic Fund Trafalgar Sabre of £100 Type To John Conn Esq. Captain of H.M.S. D
The Naval Gold Medal awarded to Captain Eliab Harvey who served aboard H.M.S. Temeraire,
5 Jul 2005 London, New Bond Street Auction 11430
Nelson and the Royal Navy 1750-1815
Property from the Monterey Maritime Museum, Monterey, California.
Property from the Monterey Maritime Museum, Monterey, California.
A Pair of 12-Inch Newton's Terrestrial and Celestial Table Globes, English, published 1836, (2)
A Louis Breguet ABC Telegraph Transmitter and Receiver, French, third quarter of the 19th century
3 Jun 2004 London, Knightsbridge Auction 11285
Morse to Marconi: The Birth of Telecommunications. Instruments, Books, Manuscripts and Ephemera
A Concorde Tail Cone,
A Concorde Tail Cone,
A Jaeger Machmeter,
A Captain's Seat, Estimate £1000-1500
1 Dec 2003 London, Olympia Auction 10803
The British Airways Concorde Charity Sale
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Highlights from past auctions

A rare folding boxwood Gunter quadrant, English, dated 1680,
Sold for £10,250 inc. premium
A rare folding boxwood Gunter quadrant, English, dated 1680,
A rare Kryha-Liliput cipher machine, German, circa 1930,
Sold for £11,250 inc. premium
A rare Kryha-Liliput cipher machine, German, circa 1930,
A Thomas Tuchar ivory triptych sundial, Nuremberg, pre 1645,
Sold for £15,000 inc. premium
A large and rare Thomas Tuchar ivory triptych sundial, Nuremberg, pre 1645,
A set of nine extremely erotic glass magic lantern slides, French, circa 1880,
Sold for £10,625 inc. premium
A set of nine extremely erotic glass magic lantern slides, French, circa 1880,

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