Accession No

1539

Brief Description

polariscope, by Troughton & Simms, English, mid-19th C

Origin

London; England

Maker

Troughton and Simms

Class

optical

Earliest Date

1840

Latest Date

1870

Inscription Date

Material

wood (mahogany); metal (brass, oxidised brass, white metal, steel); cloth (baize); glass

Dimensions

length 212mm; breadth 122mm; depth 80mm box length 242mm; breadth 160mm; height 100mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Transferred from the Solar Physics Laboratory, University of Cambridge, in 1951.

Inscription

‘TROUGHTON & SIMMS
LONDON’ (central plate)

Description Notes

Polariscope, by Troughton & Simms, English, mid-19th C.

Polariscope for attachment to astronomical instrument. Brass tube with knurled brass screws for securing bottom plate in position. Central drum with divided glass micrometer, adjusted by external knob, divided 0 - [20], numbered by 2, subdivided to 1, with second scale reading to 0.01. Eye-end has slit in tube, which corresponds to slit in eyepiece - this allows the admission of a polarising filter. An alternative eyepiece without the slit is also present. Both eyepieces are pushfit. Three spare objectives in box; also three strips of brass with very fine holes for admittance of light and numbered 1, 2 and 3; these strips can be positioned in the drum in front of the micrometer.
Fitted mahogany box with brass hinges and hook fasteners and lock with steel key; partially lined with green baize.

Condition good; complete.

References

Events