MINIATURE GUILLOTINE (2)

Very beautiful miniature guillotine in brass and mahogany.
Complete guillotine system in perfect working order.

Perfect for oddities collection

PERIOD : 19th century
DIMENSION : 34cm X 32cm
SIZE : 13.4" X 12.6"

The guillotine, an emblematic invention of the French Revolution, is a decapitation machine designed to make executions more efficient and less cruel. Invented by the doctor Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, it was used for the first time in 1792. The guillotine consists of a sharp blade suspended above a seesaw, ready to be released. Its use was believed to ensure a quick and painless death, symbolizing equality before justice. However, despite its aim of making executions more humane, the guillotine remains associated with the Dark Ages of Terror during the French Revolution, where thousands lost their lives under this relentless machine. His image persists as a historic symbol of the era's radical justice and political brutality.