Vintage geometry sets
A geometry set was often bought for 'back to school' for the new term in September or as a Christmas present for a child.
Most children today are familiar with a geometry set in a tin. The sets contain a ruler, a protractor, set squares, a pair compasses, pencils, a pencil sharpener and an eraser. More advanced sets might have dividers as well as compasses, chemistry stencils, an ink dip pen, Biros, propelling pencils and a wider range of pencils.
Like the Biro, they have changed very little since the 1950s. The school geometry set goes even further back to the last years of Queen Victoria's reign. The famous Oxford geometry set dates from the 1930s.
The compass, or more correctly pair of compasses, into which you fix a pencil, was an invention dating back to 1895.
Helix Oxford Set of Mathematical Instruments
Helix is the most well-known name in mathematical instruments and geometry sets for children. Their famous 'Oxford Set of Mathematical Instruments' is still made today.
Frank Shaw founded the Universal Woodworking Company in 1887. The company made wooden rulers. In 1895 Frank Shaw patented a compass very similar to that used in schools ever since. It used a pencil held in place by a ring on a thread.
Shaw launched his first school geometry set in 1912. [1]
Helix was registered as a trademark for drawing compasses in 1920. It was extended to include rulers, dividers, protractors, set squares and anything else you might find in a geometry set.
The Helix Oxford set of Mathematical Instruments dates from 1935.
By the 1950s Helix made a huge range of geometry sets to suit all tastes and pockets.
The 1950s Oxford set contained:
- Polished Helix compass
- Polished divider
- Polished boxwood rule
- Two celluloid set squares
- Celluloid protractor
- Small pencil for compass
- Rubber
- Blotter
The box shows a picture of the Chapel and Old Library at Balliol College, Oxford. In 1951 you could have one for 7 shillings and 6 pence (37½p).
Helix produced a range of different sets in the 1950s. With geometry a major part of maths in the 1950s it was an essential piece of equipment. The company was keen to jump on the bandwagon of popular events with its naming policy. There was an Olympic Set (presumably celebrating the 1948 Olympic Games hosted in London, UK).
In the 1950s Helix produced a wide range of geometry sets with boxes to suit all tastes:
- Olympic - with a picture of a runner with the Olympic torch
- Dreadnought - with a picture of the famous battleship
- The Pupil's Own
- Elephant
- Oxford
- Universal
- Express - with a picture of a 1930s Coronation Class loco
By 1960s the Helix range included:
- X-1100 drawing set (1965 price) - 29s 11d
- Viscount Maths set - professional style compasses and spring bow compass
- Ambassador (1967 price) - 19s 6d
- Everest - 19s 6d
- Olympic - 17s 6d
- No 15 with solid wood case (1954 price) - 12s 6d
- Edinburgh - 15s 6d
- Westminster - 13s
- Summit - 12s 6d
- Beacon - 10s 6d
- Oxford - 9s 9d
- Universal - 7s 6d
- Cambridge - 7s
- Elephant - 3s 6d
Prices are the 1960 price unless otherwise stated.
By 1964 the Oxford set's box also included a pencil sharpener, a chemistry stencil and a school timetable. It was also cheaper. You only needed to part with 4 shillings and 11 pence from your pocket money. For 15s 6d the Olympic set gave you everything in the Oxford set plus a wooden box, a chemistry stencil, two best quality pencils and a mapping pen with spare nibs.
The Helix Ambassador set from 1967 added ballpoint pens and a propelling pencil to a similar style zip case used by the Everest. You could still buy the Ambassador in 1977 (for £2.50).
Boots, W H Smith and Woolworths all sold geometry sets, some their own brand. You could buy the basic set in a tin as well as more deluxe sets with zipper cases or clamshell style plastic cases. Some sets had advanced engineering-style drawing instuments for the serious student.
In 1981 W H Smith was selling geometry sets in a metal box for £1.25 and in a zip case for £5.95.
By Steven Braggs, August 2022
References
[1] 'The perfection of the paper clip' by James Ward, published by Touchstone, 2014, page 167.
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