Accession No

1888

Brief Description

chest of chemical apparatus for assay work, by Griffin [attributed to John J.], English, 1845 (c)

Origin

England; London [based on attributed maker]

Maker

Griffin [attributed to John J.]

Class

chemistry

Earliest Date

1845

Latest Date

1845

Inscription Date

Material

wood (mahogany, boxwood, cork, at least two others); metal (brass, silver, steel, at least two white metals); wax (sealing wax); paper

Dimensions

length 330mm; breadth 280mm; height 272mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Purchased from A. and J. Stuart-Mobey, 31 St. Giles, Oxford, in 29/03/1974.

Inscription

Description Notes

Chest of chemical apparatus for assay work, by Griffin, c. 1845.

Mahogany chest with hinged lid and drawer in one side. Brass carrying handles (one of which is also handle for drawer). Brass name plate (plain) on lid. Fitted to carry a selection of apparatus, some pieces are missing and some are later additions.

Containing in the top a fitted lift-out tray with: pair of square glass silver-plated screw-top ink bottles (empty); 7 pieces of metal ribbon; 3 glass slides for watch glasses; 1 pippette with spherical bulb; 2 glass stirrers. Beneath the tray is a Marsh’s arsenic apparatus - glass ‘U’ tube, bulbs blown in each limb, 1 limb is open the other corked; the cork is sealed with red wax and pierced by brass jet with stop-cock. Old catalogue card mentions base and upright which are not currently present.

Rest of main box contains: 9 (of 16) narrow mouthed glass reagent, or test-solution, bottles (approximately 40 ml) with flat-headed ground-glass stoppers (all empty); 2 (of 3) similar approximately 70 ml (all empty); 1 (of 2) similar 215ml (all empty); 3 (of 6) narrow mouthed glass bottles for acids or volatile reagents (70ml) with flat-headed ground glass stoppers and ground-glass top (all empty); glass spirit lamp with brass neck and wick holder and ground-glass cap (empty); 2 further pippettes with spherical bulbs; conical test-glass with spout, Clarke’s form (possibly in drawer); lift-out tray with wire handles with 6 (of 8) turned wooden flux boxes labelled ‘Soda Phosphate’, ‘Platinum’, ‘Microcosmic Salt’, ‘Borax’, ‘Potash Bisulphate’, ‘Potash Nitrate’ (all empty).

Beneath the tray: wrapped bundle marked ‘Test-Papers’ (according to old catalogue card, should contain 10 books of test-papers, 4 in blue wrapping, 6 in pink, all unopened); turned wooden container marked ‘Griffin’s Collection of Books of Test-Papers including Blue Litmus, Red Litmus, Turmeric, Brazil Wood and Acetate of Lead...’ with 4 books of test-strips; japanned tin-plate blow-pipe spirit lamp, Griffin’s improved Berzelius design, with push-fit wick lid; set of 3 thin-walled Berzelius beaker glasses.

*Drawer is unlocked by pulling up the brass knob on the right hand side of the open chest, then the drawer can be opened.

Drawer contains (according to old catalogue card):
retort holder (Gay-Lussac’s design) - mahogany base with turned pillar, flat mahogany arm with cork pressure-pads; retort stand on mahogany base with brass wire pillar and adjustable height brass wire triangular retort arm (now in main box); japanned tin-plate cylinder with push-fit top containing 6-piece telescopic brass tube with central steel wire for brass tube with a ferrule at one end and a slight taper at the other; glass funnel with twisted ribs (now in main box); thin-walled green glass flask with flat bottom marked ‘6d’ (now in main box - empty); another with round bottom (now in main box - empty); reagent bottle with spherical ground-glass top (now in main box - empty); 4 later wide-necked corked dry chemical bottles, (one now in main box and carries label marked ‘Bisulphated Potash’ (chemical still present (as salt crystals)), the other 3 containing Phosphate of Soda, Nitrate of Potash and Microcosmic Salt - presumed that these chemicals are still present, but cannot open drawer to check); 4 lumps of charcoal (now in main box). Drawer contains fitted lift-out tray containing: blow-pipe (Black’s pattern) in japanned tin plate, brass pipe and separate nozzle, tapering tube; set of 4 spouted evaporating basins; triangular file; 2 yellow glazed china filter rings; yellow glazed china disc; hank of cotton wick; hexagonal glass bottle, corked, with MS label ‘Scouring drops for removing grease ...’; nest of 3 thin porcelain crucibles (Meissen); blow-pipe crucible, Plattner’s pattern in glazed porcelain; agate motar and pestle; selection of 5 glass tubes for sublimation of arsenic (2 of these are probably the test-tubes in the main box). Beneath the fitted tray: wooden test-tube rack; porcelain mortar and pestle; tin-plate evaporating dish; nest of 4 evaporating basins, with spout; 8 thin glass plain tubes; 1 bulb tube (broken).

Condition fair (active corrosion on one hinge); incomplete

References

Events