Accession No

0654


Brief Description

microscope slide of “Faraday’s Gold”, colloid slide by Michael Faraday, in wooden box, English, 1856 - 1857.


Origin


Maker

Faraday, Michael


Class

microscopes


Earliest Date

1856


Latest Date

1857


Inscription Date


Material

glass; wood (boxwood); metal (gold)


Dimensions

length 86mm; breadth 33mm; height 13mm; slides length 75mm; breadth 23mm


Special Collection

Robert Whipple collection


Provenance

Purchased from T.H. Court in 11/1930.


Inscription

‘Faradays Gold Given to me himself after his lecture at the R I’


Description Notes

Microscope slide of “Faraday’s Gold”, 1856 - 1857. Gold colloid microscope slide used by Faraday in an 1857 lecture to illustrate his work on gold colloids.

Glass microscope slide with gold film, inscribed ‘Faraday’s Gold Given to me himself after his lecture at the R I’; with purple tint in box-wood box.


References

Ruth Horry & Boris Jardine; 'Michael Faraday's microscope slide'; Explore Whipple Collections online article; Whipple Museum of the History of Science; University of Cambridge; 2008: https://www.whipplemuseum.cam.ac.uk/explore-whipple-collections/microscopes/michael-faradays-microscope-slide


Events

Description
This slide was used in a lecture by Michael Faraday (1791-1867), to illustrate his work on colloids (mixtures of two substances). Faraday would have shown the slide by using a projecting microscope. This pre-prepared experiment was typical of Faraday's lectures, which became famous and were attended by Prince Albert, among other wealthy and famous members of Victorian society.
13/02/2023
Created by: Morgan Bell on 13/02/2023


FM:42660

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