Accession No
2901
Brief Description
whale bone hygrometer, by Watkins and Hill, English, 1825-1850 (c)
Origin
England; London; 5 Charing Cross
Maker
Watkins and Hill
Class
meteorology
Earliest Date
1825
Latest Date
1850
Inscription Date
Material
metal (brass, silver); organic (whalebone); thread; wood; cloth (velvet); hide (morocco leather)
Dimensions
case length 237mm; breadth 71mm; thickness 25mm
Special Collection
Provenance
Purchased from Peter Delehar, London, England.
Inscription
‘Watkins & Hill. London’ (on frame)
‘WATKINS & HILL,
Opticians,
5, Charing Cross,
LONDON.’ (label inside box)
Description Notes
De Luc type whalebone hygrometer, in fitted box.
Skeletal brass box frame of rods and bars; silvered circular scale divided 0-100 by 10 to 1, from D(ry) to M(oist); brass suspension ring. Whalebone (?) hydroscopic element and fine brass spring connected by string round pulley to index. Fitted wooden box lined with velvet and covered with morocco.
Condition: good; complete.
References
Events
Description
The hygroscopic element of this instrument is missing here; it would have been a strip of whalebone which changes its length according to the humidity of the atmosphere. The whalebone strip is connected to a thread running over a pulley which drives the pointer. The dial is graduated from 0 to 100.
The whalebone hygrometer was devised by the French meteorologist Jean-André de Luc who described it in 1786. It was widely made in Britain and Europe. This example was made by the London instrument makers Watkins & Hill around 1825-50.
26/03/2008
Created by: Dr. Anita McConnell on 26/03/2008
FM:43454
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