Vintage CHARETTE* #471 precision drafting/ drawing architectural engineering set in a hinged plastic case with 9 separate components. Made in Germany. The box measures 10"L x 5"W x 1"D. The set is in excellent pre-owned, vintage condition, showing little--if any--use.

*About Charette from the store's (1964-2008) former website:

"Charrette (noun): the little cart used to collect students' drawings at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris during the 19th century. According to historical accounts, the students, rushing to meet a deadline, would jump onto the cart to add their finishing touches. Over the years, the meaning of the word "charrette" has evolved to denote this final, intensive effort to finish a project before a deadline. For two architectural students at Harvard University, the difficulty they faced finding all the materials needed to build models and make presentations called this word to mind on more than one occasion.

From Vision to Reality

So in 1964, these two recent graduates set about providing architects, commercial artists, and other designers with a convenience they had never had: a single source for all design supplies and equipment. They started small with 224 square feet of space in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and, within a few months, they had acquired a large student following and an increasing number of customers from the architectural and engineering fields. In fact, business was doing so well that they expanded to a 1600 square-foot-store in Harvard Square just one year later.

And the rest is history. In 1969, the first Charrette catalog was published. In 1970, the first office/store opened in New York. In 1977, the headquarters in Woburn, MA were opened, including a facility combining corporate offices, a retail store, and a 200,000 square foot warehouse. In 1991, Charrette expanded to the Midwest, and today, the company has 17 locations throughout the United States. In 2006, Charrette was acquired by and operates as a division of the Pitman Company.