SKALA drafting instrument set in leather case — drawing compass with accessories

Object/Artifact

-

Archive of Cuban Socialism

Name/Title

"SKALA" drafting instrument set in leather case — drawing compass with accessories

Entry/Object ID

2025.6.15

Description

A compact cased drawing-instrument set. The stitched tan leather slip case has a fold-over flap and holds, in two leather sleeves, a metal precision drawing compass (cyrkiel) fitted with a knurled lengthening bar and a center-wheel (knurled screw) adjustment, plus a short black cylindrical accessory tube (likely a container/holder for spare points or leads). The case flap is embossed with the maker's marks.

Use

This set belonged to Manuel Suquet, a Mathematics professor at the Pinar del Rio’s Instituto de Perfeccionamiento Educacional.

Context

Sets like this would have reached Cuba through trade agreements and were used in schools of architecture, engineering faculties, and technical institutes.

Collection

The Martínez Suquet family collection, Manuel Suquet Delgado collection

Acquisition

Accession

2025.6

Source or Donor

Mirta Suquet

Acquisition Method

Gift

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Spółdzielnia Pracy "Skala"

Place

City

Warsaw

Country

Poland

Region

Eastern Europe

Continent

Europe

Notes

Maker: Spółdzielnia Pracy "Skala" (the "Skala" Work Cooperative), Warsaw, Poland — a Polish drafting-instrument maker. The compass is stamped "SKALA"; the case carries the SKALA globe-and-compass logo and "MADE IN POLAND." Date: No explicit date. SKALA's roots reach to the 1920s, but the English-language "Made in Poland" export marking and the cooperative form indicate People's Republic of Poland (post-war) export production, most plausibly mid-20th century (circa 1960s–1980s).

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Notes

Case flap (embossed): "MADE IN POLAND"; "PO/SP" (reading slightly uncertain — possibly "PD/SP"; appears to be a product/case code); SKALA logo (globe + compass/spinning-top device in a diamond). Compass (stamped): "SKALA" with registered-trademark device.

Materials

Material

Leather, Plaster, Metal

Material Notes

Materials: Tan leather (case); nickel/chrome-plated steel or alloy (compass and lengthening bar); black plastic or hard rubber (accessory tube). Technique: Hand-stitched leather case with blind-embossed marks; machined and plated metal drawing compass with knurled center-wheel adjustment and a screw-on lengthening bar.

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Manuel Suquet Delgado

Notes

owner

Related Places

Place

City

Pinar del Río

State/Province

Pinar del Río

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Notes

use

Created By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Create Date

April 6, 2026

Updated By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Update Date

June 18, 2026