Accession No

6220

Brief Description

microscope slide, microphotograph of two views of the planet Mars, attributed to Edmund Wheeler, sold by W. Watson and Sons, English, 1876 (c)

Origin

England; London; 313 High Holborn [W. Watson and Sons]

Maker

Wheeler, Edmund [attributed] W. Watson and Sons [seller]

Class

microscopes; astronomy

Earliest Date

1870

Latest Date

1876

Inscription Date

Material

glass; paper

Dimensions

Width 25mm; Height 76mm; thickness 1.5mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Purchased on www.eBay.co.uk on or before 13/05/2008.

Inscription

The Planet Mars
A.S.
W. Watson & Sons
313 High Holborn
London
219

Description Notes

Microscope slide containing microphotograph of two views of the planet Mars, by E. Wheeler, c. 1876.

Glass microscope slide, with microphotograph set at centre. Two paper labels are stuck above the microphotograph, the upper reading “The Planet Mars”, the lower reading “A.S.” (which, according to the slides seller, is the monograph of the owner of a collection of microphotograph slides). Below the microphotograph are two further paper labels, the upper being that of the original dealer who sold the slide (W. Watson & Sons, 313 High Holborn, London) the lower containing the manuscipt number “219”. This number may have been assigned by the collector, ‘A.S.’

The microphotograph itself contains two planisphere views of Mars, side-by-side, on a black background, above the makers mark of Edmund Wheeler.

“The Planet Mars, two views” appears in ‘A Classified List of First-Class Microscopic Objects... Manufactured, Prepared, and Sold, By Edmund Wheeler... Seventh Edition, 1876’. Given the early date of this slide, the microphotograph itself is likely to be of two drawings of the planet Mars, rather that of photographs of Mars taken through the telescope, as coherent photographs of Mars were unlikely to be available in the 1870s. Alternatively, the slide could show photographs taken of a globe of Mars.

Condition: good (slight nick to glass in top right hand corner of slide); complete

References

Events