Steel Fusee Engine

Description:

Steel Fusee Engine, France, 18th century, with turned wood handle, the engine with a great many points for fine adjustment of the cutting bar and cutter feed lever which operates by a spring, though there is no fusee curve template as in other examples of similar tools, the adjustments tightened with flat thumbscrews, (lever, spring and fusee chuck replaced, 1978),overall lg. 11 in.

Note: A similar fusee-cutting engine to the present example is illustrated in Crom #2, figure 99, a reproduced page from Thiout's 1741 catalogue, whose format likely set the standard for all tool catalogues to come. This particular engine is illustrated and discussed in the same Crom volume as figure 913.
Estimate $800-1,200

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