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II.11 Reel
Maker: unknown
Place:German
Date:16th cent.
Materials:wood, rope, gilt brass
Dimensions:length 195 mm
Current inventory:617
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Instrument consisting of a small profiled rotating axle with a carved wooden handle. Wound on the axle is a cord carrying small bells at regular intervals, which serve as markers for measuring distances. Probably part of a set of mining instruments. Served to wind in coils a rope used for measurements and alignments in mineshaft excavation. Brought to Florence from Germany by Prince Mattias de' Medici in the first half of the seventeenth century.

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