Accession No

2010

Brief Description

sound disc, by William Ladd, English, 19th Century

Origin

England; London; Beak Street and Regent Street

Maker

Ladd, William

Class

sound

Earliest Date

1800

Latest Date

1900

Inscription Date

Material

wood (two types); metal (brass, iron); paper (card); plastic (ivorine)

Dimensions

height 705mm; breadth of base 540mm; depth of base 227mm; diameter of disc 489mm

Special Collection

Cavendish collection

Provenance

Transferred from Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, 1974.

Inscription

‘W. LADD, Beak Street, Regent Street, W.’ (both sides of spinning disc)
‘W. LADD,
11 & 12
BEAK STREET
REGENT STREET.’ (ivorine plaque screwed onto standard)

Description Notes

Circular card disc with paper surface mounted on wooden standard fixed to wooden base. Disc is rotated by turning a wooden flywheel which would have been attached by means of a belt (missing) to wooden wheel at centre of disc. Turned wooden handle on flywheel. The card disc is pierced in a regular pattern with a large number of circular holes.

Condition fair; incomplete (drive belt missing).

References

Events