Accession No

1135

Brief Description

Field’s alchoholometer, also contains a hydrometer, by Joseph Long and Orpwood and Company, English, 2/2 19th Century

Origin

England; London; Little Tower Street [Joshua Long]; Hackney; 18 Sidworth St [Orpwood and Company]

Maker

Long, Joseph Orpwood and Company

Class

weights & measures

Earliest Date

1850

Latest Date

1900

Inscription Date

Material

wood; metal (brass, tin, steel, mercury, lead); glass; plastic (ivorine); cloth (velvet, cotton wool); paper (card); hide (leather); rope (string)

Dimensions

height 432mm; diameter of base 85mm hydrometer length 154mm; maximum diameter 32mm can length 165mm; diameter 56mm box length 371mm; breadth 155mm; height 110mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Donated by Mr. Pullen, 1952.

Inscription

‘ORPWOOD & CO
18 SIDWORTH ST.
HACKNEY E.’ (can)
‘FIELD’S
PATENT
ALCOHOLOMETERCLASS
JOSEPH LONG
MAKER
LITTLE TOWER STREET
LONDON’ (brass plaque on lid of box)
‘LONG LONDON’ (spindle of hydrometer)
‘FIELDS
PATENT
NO 444’ (top of thermometer)

Description Notes

Brass alcoholometer. Circular brass base with integral spirit lamp (with cover for lamp). Over this fits a chimney with brass plate for adjusting heat to upper part, and holes for ventilation. The chimney is one piece with a cylinder with cup-shaped top, into which the alcohol is poured. Fitting into the top is a container with a hole at the underside to admit the vapourised alcohol. The alcohol is condensed in a spiral lead tube open at the upper end. A side arm allows the recondensed alcohol to drip into a painted tin Eureka can. A mercury-in-glass thermometer passes through the condensing chamber, and the bulb rests inside lower alcohol reservoir. Knurled brass screw enables adjustment of ivorine scale which is calibrated in ‘gray’, divided 0 - [97], numbered by 5, subdivided to 1; also marked ‘lbs’ and divided 0 - 35, numbered by 1, subdivided to 0.5. Thermometer broken at bulb and near top.
Brass hydrometer with spherical float. Spindle carries two scales, one divided 0 - 10, numbered by 1, subdivided to 0.2; the other divided 10 - 20, numbered by 1, subdivided to 0.2. Contained in pushfit leather-covered card case. Cotton wool packing.
Fitted wooden box with brass hinges and hook fasteners (very corroded steel screws); lined with blue velvet.

Condition poor; complete.

References

Events