Chinese Brass Ruler

Long thin bar covered in tick marks, ready to measure absolutely something.

This hardwood and brass ruler is from China. It is hard wood & brass. Rulers in China traditionally followed the chi, a unit whose length varied by period and region, so old measuring sticks are not always the same size. Slender flat bar, dark and slightly tapered, runs the full width of the frame. Rows of tiny incised dashes and dots mark its face, with a small cross-shaped motif near the center. The edges look worn smooth. It is 13.25 inches wide, 0.63 deep and 0.19 high.

Skinny, precise, and not remotely interested in curves.