Accession No

3700

Brief Description

glass block, perforated by a spark, by Heinrich Ruhmkorff, French, c. 1861

Origin

France; Paris

Maker

Ruhmkorff, Heinrich Daniel

Class

electrical

Earliest Date

1861

Latest Date

1861

Inscription Date

Material

glass

Dimensions

67 x 63 x 46mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Transferred from Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England, 07/06/1988. Paper label implies that the block was acquired by John Peter Gassiot, presumably from Ruhmkorff’s shop in Paris. Then in December 1861 he gifted it to Thomas Romney Robinson. Robinson at some point must have donated it to the Cavendish Laboratory, for their collection of historical materials, from which it was transferred to the Whipple Museum.

Inscription

‘Piece of Glass
perforated by a spark
by Ruhmkorff
given to me by
Mr Gassiot
Dec. 20. 1861
T.R. Robinson’ (on lid of box)

Description Notes

glass block, perforated by a spark, by Heinrich Ruhmkorff, French, c. 1861. Previously the property of John Peter Gassiot, then Thomas Romney Robinson, then the Cavendish Laboratory.

Glass block with cracks where it was hit by an electrical spark.

Paper label that reads “Piece of Glass perforated by a spark, by Ruhmkorff, given to me by Mr Gassiot, Dec. 20. 1861, T.R. Robinson”

Somewhat dilapidated wooden case.

Condition good (some chips in the glass, including one large one).

References

Boris Jardine; 'Amici microscopes and Thomas Romney Robinson'; Explore Whipple Collections online article; Whipple Museum of the History of Science; University of Cambridge; 2006: https://www.whipplemuseum.cam.ac.uk/explore-whipple-collections/microscopes/amici-microscopes-and-thomas-romney-robinson

Events