JF Ptak Science Books  Quick Post

I was very excited when I bumped into this notation for Christoph Weigel’s (1654-1725) “der Pfeiffenmacher” (the Wind Instrument Maker)! I hurriedly thought as I went to click on the link for the image what sort of instruments or tools were being made to make use of the wind in 1700? Better yet maybe–what was being built for wind protection? And then as quickly as it started the speculation stopped–it was for a wind instrument maker, a maker of wind instruments, musical instruments.  Of course it is a beautiful engraving (after a design by Caspar Luyken, 1672-1708) but it was just a little disappointing not to see a collection of scientific instruments or engineering/architectural bits rather than an assortment of musical ones. (This is from the Library of Congress and the notes in the description identifies the instruments so: Bassoon, Shawm, Curtal, Cornett, Recorder, Oboe.)  

[Image source: Library of Congress, here]