Accession No
6287
Brief Description
Chemistry molecular model kit in fitted wooden box, by Catalin Ltd., English, c. 1960.
Origin
Waltham Abbey, Essex, UK
Maker
Catalin Ltd.
Class
chemistry; demonstration
Earliest Date
1955
Latest Date
1965
Inscription Date
Material
wood, plastic, rubber, metal, board,
Dimensions
371mm x 300mm x 32mm
Special Collection
Provenance
Inscription
MOLECULAR MODELS
MANUFACTURED BY
CATALIN LTD.
WALTHAM ABBEY
[E]SSEX
Compartments labelled:
[Row one]
IMIDE N.
QUATERNARY N.
PLANAR N.
AMINO N.
NITRILE N.
AZIDE N.
[row two]
PARAFFINIC C.
AROMATIC C.
OLEFINIC CARBON
TRIVALENT P.
PENTAVALENT P.
PHOSPHATE P.
[third row]
BLOCK RINGS
HETEROCYCLIC C.
FLUORINE
CHLORINE
BROMINE
[fourth row]
ACETYLINIC C.
ETHER O.
[unmarked compartment]
SILICON
IODINE
IONIC CARBONYL
[fifth row]
RUBBER PEGS
SULPHATE S.
SULPHIDE S.
THIONE S.
HYDROGEN
Description Notes
Chemistry molecular model kit in fitted wooden box, by Catalin Ltd., English, c. 1960.
Compartmented wooden box containing plastic components for modelling molecular forms, by Catalin Ltd., c.1960, Waltham Abbey, Essex, UK.
The lid contains a tool for removing rubber plugs from the components. It is held in place by a rotating metal clip.
MOLECULAR MODELS
MANUFACTURED BY
CATALIN LTD.
WALTHAM ABBEY
[E]SSEX
Compartments labelled:
[Row one]
IMIDE N.
QUATERNARY N.
PLANAR N.
AMINO N.
NITRILE N.
AZIDE N.
[row two]
PARAFFINIC C.
AROMATIC C.
OLEFINIC CARBON
TRIVALENT P.
PENTAVALENT P.
PHOSPHATE P.
[third row]
BLOCK RINGS
HETEROCYCLIC C.
FLUORINE
CHLORINE
BROMINE
[fourth row]
ACETYLINIC C.
ETHER O.
[unmarked compartment]
SILICON
IODINE
IONIC CARBONYL
[fifth row]
RUBBER PEGS
SULPHATE S.
SULPHIDE S.
THIONE S.
HYDROGEN
References
Events
Description
There are several main types of atomic models in use today. Two of the most common are 'ball and spoke' and 'space-filling' types. Each model type displays different information about molecules. Whilst ball and spoke models are designed to show how the atoms bond together, space-filling models accurately demonstrate the size and shape of the molecule. The plastic used to produce this model is Catalin. Catalin’s predecessor—Bakelite—was a non-flammable moulding compound made from a phenol formaldehyde resin, but was limited to dark shades of brown, maroon and black. In 1927, Bakelite’s patent on phenol formaldehyde expired, and the American Catalin Corporation modified the original Bakelite recipe to produce a plastic in a wider range of colours. By the 1930s the General Bakelite Company began to experiment in dye saturation, and the recipe for Bakelite and Catalin became essentially the same.
10/03/2014
Created by: Allison Ksiazkiewicz on 10/03/2014
FM:46769
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