Accession No

4422

Brief Description

box of Geissler and Crooke’s discharge tubes, by F. E. Becker and Company, German, c. 1860

Origin

Germany

Maker

F. E. Becker and Company

Class

physics

Earliest Date

1860

Latest Date

1860

Inscription Date

Material

glass; metal; (white metal); wood (mahogany and one other)

Dimensions

box 283 w x 435 l x 70 h mm second box length 438mm; breadth 284mm; height 76mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Purchased in a Christie’s sale, 26/09/1991, lot 22.

Inscription

Description Notes

Box containing nine separate blown glass tubes or pipes, some containing various liquids or fluids. Packed in cotton wool in wooden box. Two mahogany carved stands.

4422.1 Tube with central side arm and ornamental central glass tubing filled with yellow and colourless gas. Remains of sealing wax on ends and side arm. White metal terminals.
4422.2 Tube with swan’s neck side arm and opposing short side arm with terminal. The other terminal comes up from the base of the tube and terminates in a pierced metal disc halfway along the tube. Metal caps to aid electrical contact. Tube is cracked along terminal side arm.
4422.3 Outer glass casing housing inner tube with three spherical chambers and is filled with an orange liquid. One empty bulb located at each end.
4422.4 Vacuum tube with central side arm, end ovoid chambers and three encased spherical chambers filled with a green gas.
4422.5 Vacuum tube with spherical end chambers, outer glass casing houses tube with one ovoid chamber either side of a central coil. Outer casing filled with pale yellow liquid. (1 part)
4422.6 Tube with three ovoid reservoirs and paper label marked ‘Lead Glass’. White metal terminals with white metal caps.
4422.7 Tube with top spherical chamber with side arm anode; disc-shaped cathode at other end. Brass caps to both terminals to improve connection.
4422.8 Larger vacuum tube with end ovoid chambers and three semicircular curves broken by spherical chambers in central section. White metal terminals.
4422.9 Glass rod.

Condition good

References

Events