Accession No

3389

Brief Description

lead shot-in-glass hydrometer, by Georg Friedrich Brander, German, late 18th century

Origin

Germany; Augsburg

Maker

Brander, Georg Friedrich

Class

physics; metrology

Earliest Date

1750

Latest Date

1774

Inscription Date

Material

glass; paper; wood (cord and one other); metal (lead); cloth (cotton wool or felt)

Dimensions

height 210mm; maximum diameter 53mm case height 250mm; maximum diameter 73mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Purchased from Christie’s, South Kensington, London, England; lot 26, 17/04/1986. Eigenthum = property of (Josef von Zallinger). See SIS Bulletin 9 for comments on the Zallinger sale at Christie's.

Inscription

‘K
G. F. Brander fecit Aug Vind.’ (bulb)
‘Eigenthum
des
Jos. v. Zallinger.’ (pasted label on case)

Description Notes

Glass flask weighted with lead shot. Paper scale enclosed in the stem carries two scales with three labels: first scale divided 56 - 68, numbered by 1, subdivided to 0.25; second scale divided 0 - 19, numbered by 1, subdivided to 0.25. Three labels read ‘Schwere eines Wiener Cubic-Schuh’, ‘Wiener Pfund’, ‘Salz in einem Wiener Cubic Schuh.’ (Translation: 1) Viennese cubic foot; (2) Viennese pound; (3) Salt in one Viennese cubic foot.) Cork bung in top of neck.
Turned wooden case with screw-fit lid, lined with cotton wool.

References

Events