How to Date Early Pantographs
- 1). Examine the material of the pantograph to determine if the body is made primarily of wood or ivory. These two materials were especially popular for making the "legs" of a pantograph in the the early 17th century. Since ivory originals are often confused with plastic imitations, it is important to verify whether or not an object is made of ivory, which contains organic (and therefore, "datable") substances. Infrared spectroscopy, an experimental method that uses infrared light to examine a sample, can determine whether or not an object contains organic material.
- 2). Measure the size of the pantograph. Eighteenth century pantographs continued to be constructed out of both wood and ivory, but the size of the actual instrument grew during this time period. New uses for the design arose when inventors noticed the versatility of the tool outside of drawing. Pantographs that exceed two feet are most likely from the 18th century, especially if they are made primarily of wood.
- 3). Determine the purpose of the instrument by looking for distinguishing characteristics such as size or a place for a drawing implement. Although pantographs were still used by drafters and architects for creating images of scale in the 19th century, the design of the pantograph itself began appearing in factory machines and small appliances such as phonographs. Most pantographs that do not include a place for a drawing implement were used in phonographs and can be dated all the way to the middle of the 20th century.
