Three sets of cardboard drawing scales, all 1 by 12 inches, cardboard scales to the foot:- Lockie's Improved Drawing scales (No 4 damaged), Eyre & Spottiswoode's Draughtsman's set (incomplete), Eyre & Spottiswoode's Surveyor's set (incomplete)

Drawing scales assist with accurate measuring when drawing a plan on a reduced scale. Before the widespread use of plastic, cardboard scales like these were commonly used by professionals and students in occupations that requited to produce many drawings such as engineers, architects and surveyors.

These 3 different sets of scales were printed by two different publishers one based in London, England and the other in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland at the beginning of the 20th century. They bear the signatures of their original owners father and son Robert (1841-1922) and Colin C Reid (1896-1978) who were fellows of the Institute of Measurers and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors respectively.

Lockie’s scales are connected to marine engineering training and John Lockie’s Engineering Academy in Leith.