Plumb Thing

[ernest dubois]

Even though I haven't tracked down a name yet, s'nothing to stop one making such a unit.
381579381580381581

[Warren Mickley]

Felibien calls that a Plomb a regle.​

[Roger Nair]

In 19th century American English, I think one would call it a "plumb rule" I my experience, the use of the term was applied to spirit levels mid 20th century by older country carpenters in the mid Atlantic states but has since died out, with the generation that used the term. Properly, the term refers to tools before the advent of spirit levels.

[ernest dubois]

Warren and Rodger both, thanks I couldn't ask for more - image search being completely unfruitful.

[Ryan Mooney]

Call it what you will, its pretty cool. Thanks for sharing. Plumb Rule turns up some nice image search results!

I found this one especially interesting (from a freemasonary site) because the intersecting lines give a visual centerline. Its perhaps a bit to busy to be directly useful but I could see a more limited decoration serving that purpose.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v334/PatGreenFan/Masonic%20Clip%20Art/plumb.jpg

[ernest dubois]

I was following on Rodger's lead too and found this as the best corroboration for the name.
381647 (http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_gallery.aspx?assetId=1018981001&objectId=3016827&partId=1)http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_gallery.aspx?assetId=1018981001&objectId=3016827&partId=1

[Roger Nair]

That's a savage illustration, however a plumb rule hangs from the right column and a level from the left and between the plumb and level is the right. Is this an indication of humbuggery?

[ernest dubois]

That's a savage illustration, however a plumb rule hangs from the right column and a level from the left and between the plumb and level is the right. Is this an indication of humbuggery?
It is an irreverent mockery I guess reflecting some anti-elitist sentiment of the time. The description from the museum mentions the plumb rule, one kind of buggery or the other does seem apparent.