Accession No

6530

Brief Description

seven plaster models of single-celled organisms, by Václav Frič, Austro-Hungarian, late 19th Century

Origin

Austria-Hungary [now Czech Republic]; Prague

Maker

Frič, Václav

Class

biology; demonstration

Earliest Date

1862

Latest Date

1916

Inscription Date

Material

Wood; plaster; paper; paint; metal; stone (sand)

Dimensions

[6530.1] 170mm (height) x 85mm (width) x 60mm (depth) [6530.2] 150mm (height) x 85mm (width) x 60mm (depth) [6530.3] 159mm (height) x 83mm (width) x 60mm (depth) [6530.4] 138mm (height) x 85mm (width) x 58mm (depth) [6530.5] 165mm (height) x 83mm (width) x 58mm (depth) [6530.6] 110mm (height) x 65mm (width) x 47mm (depth) [6530.7] 165mm (height) x 130mm (width) x 92mm (depth)

Special Collection

Provenance

Purchased from Christie’s South Kensington, 85 Old Brompton Road, London, SW7 3LD. Travel, Science and Natural History sale, 25/04/2012, lot no. 41. Previously sold at Christie's South Kensington, 12/07/2006, lot no. 4.

Inscription

[6530.1] (front label) “V. Fric, Naturalien-Handlung in Prag.
No. 1
Amoeba Proteus
700/1 Leidy
V. Fric, obchod s prirodninami v praze.”
(labels on top of base) “1/I.1” “IV.III”

[6530.2] (front label) “V. Fric, Naturalien-Handlung in Prag.
No. 3
Arcella vulgaris
1000/1 Ehrenberg
V. Fric, obchod s prirodninami v praze.”
(label on top of base) “IV.III”

[6530.3] (front label) “V. Fric, Naturalien-Handlung in Prag.
No. 8
Euglypha alveolata
700/1 Dujardin
V. Fric, obchod s prirodninami v praze.”
(labels on top of base) “
“1/I.8”

[6530.4] (front label) “V. Fric, Naturalien-Handlung in Prag.
No. 9
Trinema enchelys
1200/1 Dujardin
V. Fric, obchod s prirodninami v praze.”
(labels on top of base) “1/II.1”, “IV.III”

[6530.5] (front label) “V. Fric, Naturalien-Handlung in Prag.
No. 11
Pseudodifflugia gracilis
1500/1 Schlumberger
V. Fric, obchod s prirodninami v praze.”
(labels on top of base) “1/II.3” “IV.III”

[6530.6] (front label) “Zootom:Institut
Orbulina
universa d’Orb.
Ober Tertiär u.lebend.
Der Universitat auGraz.”
(labels on top of base) “1/IV.6”

[6530.7] (front label) “Zootom:Institut
Heliosphaera
Inermis Haekel.
Messina.
Der Universitat auGraz.”
(labels on top of base) “1/IV.11” “IV.90” (?)

Description Notes

Seven plaster models of single-celled organisms, by Václav Frič (1839 - 1916), Prague, late nineteenth century.

[6530.1] Plaster model of Amoeba Proteus with cut-away at the rear detailing the interior organelles and cytoplasm of the amoeba. Mounted by single metal wire protruding from centre of base into base of amoeba. Base painted black; amoba painted beige. Some scratches to both the base and cell, as well as some chips to paint on the amoeba. Label on the front details genus and species, the scale of the cell as well as the surname of who discovered it. Additional labels on the top of the base indicate cataloguing by previous owners.

[6530.2] Plaster model of Arcella vulgaris. Mounted by single metal wire protruding from centre of wooden base into base of cell, through centre of an aperture. Base painted black, cell painted beige with black aperture. Some chips to paint of the cell, some scratches to the base. Label on the front details genus and species, the scale of the cell as well as the surname of who discovered it. Additional labels on the top of the base indicate cataloguing by previous owners.

[6530.3] Plaster model of Euglypha alveolata. Mounted on single metal wire, which has bent slightly, protruding from centre of wooden base into the base of cell. Base painted black, cell painted grey with black aperture, five metal spines protrude from the cell. Label on the front details genus and species, the scale of the cell as well as the surname of who discovered it. Additional labels on the top of the base indicate cataloguing by previous owners.

[6530.4] Plaster model of Tinema enchelys. Mounted on single metal wire, which has bent over, protruding from centre of wooden base into the base of cell. Base painted black, cell painted grey with black aperture. Label on the front details genus and species, the scale of the cell as well as the surname of who discovered it. Additional labels on the top of the base indicate cataloguing by previous owners.

[6530.5] Plaster model of Pseudodifflugia gracilis. Mounted on single metal wire protruding from centre of wooden base into the base of cell. Base painted black, cell painted white with black aperture, with beige patches and sand covering in some locations to illustrate its encrusted exterior. Additional labels on the top of the base indicate cataloguing by previous owners.

Design of the previous 5 cells is very similar; labels are all printed in the same style and bases are all roughly the same size: it seems likely that these models are all part of a collection.

[6530.6] Plaster model of Orbulina universa. Mounted on single metal wire, which has bent slightly, protruding from centre of wooden base into the base of cell. Base painted black, cell painted grey. Label indicates it was perhaps made for University of Graz in Austria. Additional labels on the top of the base indicate cataloguing by previous owners. Some scratches to paintwork, seems slightly dirty.

[6530.7] Plaster model of Heliospaera inermis. Mounted on two metal wires, protruding from centre of wooden base into the base of cell. Base painted black, cell painted beige and black. Label indicates it was perhaps made for University of Graz in Austria. Additional labels on the top of the base indicate cataloguing by previous owners. Paint faded and chipped in places, base scratched in places.

All 7 cells are found in mossy damp marine habitats.

Condition: good/fair, complete.

References

Events