It is believed that these caHpers, which are preserved in the 

 collection of the Bostonian Society in Boston, were probably used 

 by Revere in 1775-1776. This was the period during which he 

 was in charge of ordnance repairs for the Continental Army, and 

 involved in various ventures for the manufacture of gunpowder 

 and the casting of cannon. There is no evidence of other scientific 

 instruments made by Revere, lending some weight to the belief 

 that these calipers were made for his own use. 



Other Massachusetts instrument makers include Gideon Fairman 

 (1774-1827) of Newburyport who was a partner of William Hooker 

 in the firm of Hooker & Fairman, which dealt in mathematical 

 instruments before 1810." Fairman later moved to Philadelphia, 



^^ Palmer, op. cit. (footnote 34), p. 190. 



Figure 19. — Brass gunnery calipers 

 made and probably used by Paul 

 Revere (1735-1818). The calipers are 

 7 in. long and 1^1 in. wide. 



Figure 20.— Reverse side of gunnery 

 calipers, showing the inscribed signa- 

 ture. Photos courtesy the Boston- 

 ian Society, Boston, Mass. 



42 



