Accession No
6648
Brief Description
Henley's electrometer, by George Adams Jnr., English, c. 1780
Origin
England; London
Maker
Adams, George (Jnr.)
Class
electricity; physics
Earliest Date
1772
Latest Date
1795
Inscription Date
Material
wood (boxwood?); metal (brass); leather
Dimensions
210mm (height) x 80mm (width) x 70mm (depth)
Special Collection
Provenance
Purchased from Bonhams, Montpellier St, Knightsbridge, London, SW7 1HH, on the 31/10/2017. From the sale of Important Instruments of Science & Technology, lot 62.
Inscription
G. *Adams*
Description Notes
Henley's electrometer, by George Adams (Jnr.), English, c. 1775
Quadrant electrometer in light boxwood. Quadrant engraved with scale from 0o to 180o at 20o intervals. Intervals are additionally subdivided into 5 points of 2o. 90o is marked at the halfwaypoint. Brass collar with stem that can be removed from detailed base.
References
Events
Description
Electrometers are simple instruments for measuring electric charge. William Henley invented this style of electrometer in 1770. When the instrument is charged, the thin rod is repelled by the brass collar around the base of the electrometer, enabling a reading to be taken from the scale. This example was made in 1775 by George Adams Jnr.
19/03/2018
Created by: Rosanna Evans on 19/03/2018
FM:47265
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