Accession No

3372

Brief Description

elbow polariscope, for use with lantern, by John Browning, English, late 19th Century

Origin

England; London

Maker

Browning, John

Class

optical

Earliest Date

1880

Latest Date

1900

Inscription Date

Material

metal (brass, white metal, steel, 1 other); glass; wood (mohogany, cork); cloth (velvet)

Dimensions

length 485mm; breadth of base 111mm; height 250mm; box length 407mm; breadth 220mm; height 140mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Purchased from Sotheby's, London, England; lot no. 334 at sale of ‘The Arthur Frank Collection of Scientific Instruments’, 25/03/1986.

Inscription

‘John Browning,
London’ (on barrel)

Description Notes

Black-painted white metal base with a polarising glass plate at bottom and 2 large tubes in an elbow shape. One side for admission of light (from a lantern) the other with optical apparatus. At the lower end of the side with the optical apparatus is a brass tube with opposing cut-outs (for admission of sample?). The size of the opening can be adjusted by a brass section in the tube, sliding by means of 2 knurled brass knobs. Above this is a focussing tube, with rack and pinion adjustment via knurled brass screw with steel axis. Another, smaller brass section with adjustable cut-outs push-fits above and to this attached the screw-fit eye-end, with Nicol prism in cork mount. Fitted mahogany box, partially lined with blue velvet with brass hinges and lock (key in box). Box contains part of page from Newton and Co. catalogue, with description and illustration of similar instrument. Inside lid of box is a manuscript inscription in pencil reading: ‘Electric lamp Polariscope with adapter for dissolving [?] view apparatus Sloughurst [?] Jan 1 1880’

References

Events