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Purpose

Italian weights and measures

Notes

Weights and measures within Italy were extraordinarily diverse, reflecting not only kingdoms and duchies but also cities, towns and localities. Soane mentions, for instance, foglietta and botta, calata and rubbio, in connection with the price of wine and of artichokes; and gives palmi in reference to the size of a bridge and a canal, and has a note that the Veronese piedi is the equivalent of 1 foot and 1 3/8 inches (which accords with 340mm given in R.E. Zupko, Italian weights and measures from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century, 1981, Philadelphia, p.196). And that a Florentine braccio is equivalent in length to 1 foot 10 and 9/10 inches (Zupko, op.cit. p.46, gives 584mm or 1 foot 11 inches).

Level

Drawing

Digitisation of the Drawings Collection has been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation

If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk