Science & Mathematics

Chemical Balance

The Museum's collections hold thousands of objects related to chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, and other sciences. Instruments range from early American telescopes to lasers. Rare glassware and other artifacts from the laboratory of Joseph Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen, are among the scientific treasures here. A Gilbert chemistry set of about 1937 and other objects testify to the pleasures of amateur science. Artifacts also help illuminate the social and political history of biology and the roles of women and minorities in science.

The mathematics collection holds artifacts from slide rules and flash cards to code-breaking equipment. More than 1,000 models demonstrate some of the problems and principles of mathematics, and 80 abstract paintings by illustrator and cartoonist Crockett Johnson show his visual interpretations of mathematical theorems.

Date: 1880s

Distillation flask

This object is a distilling flask made by Schott & Genossen. The distilling flask, also known as a fractional distillation flask or fractioning flask, is a vessel with a round bottom and a long neck from which a side arm protrudes.
Description (Brief)
This object is a distilling flask made by Schott & Genossen. The distilling flask, also known as a fractional distillation flask or fractioning flask, is a vessel with a round bottom and a long neck from which a side arm protrudes. It is primarily used for distillation, the process of separating a mixture of liquids with different boiling points through evaporation and condensation. Liquids with lower boiling points vaporize first and then rise through the neck and into the side arm, where they recondense and collect in a separate container.
In this way, the distillation flask serves a similar purpose to the retort. It offers certain advantages over the retort, however, because its vertical neck makes it easier to add liquids. The neck also allows a thermometer to be inserted, if desired, to record boiling temperatures. The placement of the side arm along the neck varies depending on the characteristics of the solution to be distilled. The higher the boiling point of a substance, the lower the side arm should be on the neck, giving vapors a shorter distance to rise and less chance to recondense before reaching the side arm.
Glastechnisches Laboratorium Schott und Genossen (Glass Technology Laboratory, Schott & Associates), later the Jenaer Glasswerk Schott & Gen. (Jena Glassworks, Schott & Associates), was founded in 1884 by Otto Schott (1851–1935), Ernst Abbe (1840–1905), Carl Zeiss (1816–1888), and Zeiss' son Roderick.
In 1881 Schott, a chemist from a family of glassmakers, and Abbe, a physicist with an interest in optics, formed a research partnership. Together they hoped to perfect a chemical glass formula for lenses in optical instruments like microscopes and telescopes. Their original goal was to develop glasses of high quality and purity with consistent optical properties. As their research expanded, they eventually developed the first borosilicate glasses. Their strength against chemical attack and low coefficient of thermal expansion made them better suited to the harsh circumstances of the chemical laboratory than any other glass.
Jena Glass quickly became a success among the scientific community, widely considered the best on the market until World War I.
This object is part of a collection donated by Barbara Keppel, wife of C. Robert Keppel. Robert Keppel taught at the University of Nebraska-Omaha after receiving his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from M.I.T. The glassware in the Keppel collection covers the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Sources:
Baker, Ray Stannard. Seen in Germany. Chautauqua, N. Y.: 1908. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/nyp.33433043165608.
Cauwood, J.D., and W.E.S. Turner. “The Attack of Chemical Reagents on Glass Surfaces, and a Comparison of Different Types of Chemical Glassware.” Journal of the Society of Glass Technology 1 (1917): 153–62.
Findlay, Alexander. Practical Physical Chemistry. London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1917. https://archive.org/details/cu31924031196615.
Gatterman, Ludwig. Practical Methods of Organic Chemistry. New York: The Macmillian Company, 1901. https://archive.org/details/practicalmethods00gatt.
Hovestadt, Heinrich. Jena Glass and Its Scientific and Industrial Applications. London, New York: Macmillan, 1902.
National Museum of American History Accession File #1985.0311
Pfaender, H. G. Schott Guide to Glass. Springer Science & Business Media, 2012.
“University of Nebraska Omaha.” 2015. Accessed May 4. http://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/chemistry/student-opportunities/scholarships.php.
Walker, Percy H. Comparative Tests of Chemical Glassware. Washington, D.C.: 1918. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015086545707.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1884
maker
Jena Glasswork, Schott & Associates
ID Number
1985.0311.008
catalog number
1985.0311.008
accession number
1985.0311

Kjeldahl flask

This 100 mL Kjeldahl flask was made by Schott & Genossen. In 1883 Danish chemist Johan Kjeldahl (1849–1900) of the Carlsberg Laboratory published the Kjeldahl method.
Description
This 100 mL Kjeldahl flask was made by Schott & Genossen. In 1883 Danish chemist Johan Kjeldahl (1849–1900) of the Carlsberg Laboratory published the Kjeldahl method. It was the first accurate, simple, and speedy way to determine nitrogen content in organic matter.
Kjeldahl’s employer, Carlsberg Laboratory, had been originally established as a place for scientific research to perfect the process of beer making. Later, the laboratory took on a broader mission to contribute to pure research. The need for the Kjeldahl method grew from his analysis of the protein content of grains for beers at different stages—from germination to fermentation as beer wort. Analyses of nitrogen content can be used to quantify the amount of protein in a sample, and protein content of grains influences the volume of beer they produce.
The Kjeldahl method proved to have wide-ranging applications and was quickly adopted by scientists from a variety of fields. In the mid-2010s, the method (with minor modifications) was still in use for purposes ranging from analysis of protein in foods to nitrogen content in soil samples. To “Kjeldahl” a sample has become a verb in chemical parlance, considered by some the greatest honor bestowed by the chemical community.
Along with his method, Kjeldahl’s name also became attached to a piece of laboratory equipment he developed in 1888. The long-necked, round-bottomed flask was ideal for avoiding splashback when heating solutions. Splashback was a threat during the first step of the Kjeldahl method—which requires heating the sample in concentrated sulfuric acid.
Glastechnisches Laboratorium Schott und Genossen (Glass Technology Laboratory, Schott & Associates), later the Jenaer Glasswerk Schott & Gen. (Jena Glassworks, Schott & Associates), was founded in 1884 by Otto Schott (1851–1935), Ernst Abbe (1840–1905), Carl Zeiss (1816–1888), and Zeiss' son Roderick.
In 1881 Schott, a chemist from a family of glassmakers, and Abbe, a physicist with an interest in optics, formed a research partnership. Together they hoped to perfect a chemical glass formula for lenses in optical instruments like microscopes and telescopes. Their original goal was to develop glasses of high quality and purity with consistent optical properties. As their research expanded, they eventually developed the first borosilicate glasses. Their strength against chemical attack and low coefficient of thermal expansion made them better suited to the harsh circumstances of the chemical laboratory than any other glass.
Jena Glass quickly became a success among the scientific community, widely considered the best on the market until World War I.
This object is part of a collection donated by Barbara Keppel, wife of C. Robert Keppel. Robert Keppel taught at the University of Nebraska-Omaha after receiving his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from M.I.T. The glassware in the Keppel collection covers the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Sources:
Baker, Ray Stannard. Seen in Germany. Chautauqua, N. Y.: 1908. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/nyp.33433043165608.
Burns, D. Thorburn, and W. I. Stephen. “Kjeldahl Centenary Meeting.” Analytical Proceedings 21, no. 6 (1984): 210–20. doi:10.1039/AP9842100210.
Cauwood, J.D., and W.E.S. Turner. “The Attack of Chemical Reagents on Glass Surfaces, and a Comparison of Different Types of Chemical Glassware.” Journal of the Society of Glass Technology 1 (1917): 153–62.
Hovestadt, Heinrich. Jena Glass and Its Scientific and Industrial Applications. London, New York: Macmillan, 1902.
National Museum of American History Accession File #1985.0311
Pfaender, H. G. Schott Guide to Glass. Springer Science & Business Media, 2012.
Sáez-Plaza, Purificación, Tadeusz Michałowski, María José Navas, Agustín García Asuero, and Sławomir Wybraniec. “An Overview of the Kjeldahl Method of Nitrogen Determination. Part I. Early History, Chemistry of the Procedure, and Titrimetric Finish.” Critical Reviews in Analytical Chemistry 43, no. 4 (2013): 178–223. doi:10.1080/10408347.2012.751786.
Sella, Andrea. 2008. “Classic Kit: Kjeldahl Flask.” Chemistry World. http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/Issues/2008/May/KjeldahlFlask.asp.
“University of Nebraska Omaha.” 2015. Accessed May 4. http://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/chemistry/student-opportunities/scholarships.php.
Walker, Percy H. Comparative Tests of Chemical Glassware. Washington, D.C.: 1918. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015086545707.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
after 1884
maker
Jena Glasswork, Schott & Associates
ID Number
1985.0311.049
catalog number
1985.0311.049
accession number
1985.0311

Thomas Arithmometer

This stepped drum manual non-printing calculating machine has a brass and steel mechanism held in a wooden case. A stepped drum is under each of ten levers that are pushed back to enter digits.
Description
This stepped drum manual non-printing calculating machine has a brass and steel mechanism held in a wooden case. A stepped drum is under each of ten levers that are pushed back to enter digits. The brass plate that covers the drums and top of the machine has slits in it to allow these and other parts to move. The edges of the slits next to digit levers are numbered from 0 to 9 to indicate the digit entered. A lever to the left of these is either pushed back for addition and multiplication or forward for subtraction and division. Further to the left is a compartment that holds the key to the machine. The lid is missing. Right of the digit levers is a crank for operating the machine. It has an ivory handle, which bends down to the left when not in use so that the lid closes.
Behind the levers is a movable carriage with 11 windows for the revolution register and 20 windows for the result register. Rotating a black knob on the right of the carriage zeros the revolution register, and rotating a knob on the left of the carriage zeros the result register. Rotating thumbscrews on the carriage enter numbers in both the revolution and the result registers. Decimal markers would fit in holes between the windows of the registers, but the markers are missing. The case is painted black and the lid is shaped so that it fits in holes in the sides of the case that allow for motion of the zeroing mechanisms in the carriage.
A mark at the center reads: THOMAS (...) INVENTEUR S’adresser (/) 44, RUE DE CHATEAUDUN, 44 (/) PARIS (/) No 1994 (/) EXPOSITION, 16. RUE DE LA TOUR DES DAMES. A mark under this reads: Imported by Jas W. Queen & Co. (/) PHILADA. A mark on the left reads: ADDON ET MULTON (/) SOUSTON ET DIVISON. The top of the case reads: Arithmomètre.
This machine came to the Smithsonian as a transfer from another U.S. government agency on March 5, 1968. It probably was from the National Bureau of Standards.
Compare to MA.335215, a very similar machine with serial number 1068 that dates from about 1873.
No references to the Thomas arithmometer appear in James W. Queen & Co. catalogs for 1874, 1877, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, or 1887.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1883
maker
Thomas, Charles Xavier
ID Number
1987.0857.01
catalog number
328869
accession number
1987.0857
maker number
1994

Model for Descriptive Geometry by A. Jullien - Distance from a Point to a Plane

Suppose one is given plane APA’ and point (m, m’) not on the plane. To find the distance, one must find the perpendicular from the point to the plane. This is done by finding the shortest vertical and horizontal distances from the point to the plane.
Description
Suppose one is given plane APA’ and point (m, m’) not on the plane. To find the distance, one must find the perpendicular from the point to the plane. This is done by finding the shortest vertical and horizontal distances from the point to the plane. Segment mn on the horizontal plane is the projection of the shortest distance of point (m, m’) to the plane horizontally, often referred to as the perpendicular foot. Line de’ (red string) is the image of this foot up onto the plane. Likewise, segment m’n’ is the vertical perpendicular foot and its image on the plane is the wire coming out of the horizontal plane. Point (n, n’) where these two lines meet is the perpendicular from (m,m’) to the plane, and thus the shortest distance.
For more details, see COLL.1986.0885 and 1986.0885.01.01.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880
maker
Jullien, A.
ID Number
1986.0885.01.22
catalog number
1986.0885.01.22
accession number
1986.0885

Geometric Model, L. Brill No. 158 Ser. 6. No. 3, Wave Surface of a Positive Uniaxial Crystal, D41,8

The German label on this white plaster model indicates that it is a model of a wave surface for a positive uniaxial optical crystal, L. Brill Ser. 10.1 No. 7. Such a model always has an outer shell that is a sphere and an inner shell that is an ellipsoid.
Description
The German label on this white plaster model indicates that it is a model of a wave surface for a positive uniaxial optical crystal, L. Brill Ser. 10.1 No. 7. Such a model always has an outer shell that is a sphere and an inner shell that is an ellipsoid. However, this model is an ellipsoid with one octant cut away to reveal part of a sphere. Thus this is a model of a wave surface of a negative uniaxial crystal whose Brill model is No. 158, Ser. 6, No. 3. The correct label for this model appears on 1982.0795.21.
This is one of a series of models designed at the Munich polytechnic high school under the direction of Alexander Brill in 1880.
Compare to 1985.0112.124.
References:
L. Brill, Catalog, 1892, p. 13, 87.
For examples of related models, with a reference to a related publication, see the Goettingen collection of mathematical models, model numbers 283 (Schilling #356) and 284 (Schilling #357).
Francis A. Jenkins and Harvey E. White, Fundamentals of Optics, New York: McGraw Hill, 1976, p. 553-555.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1889
maker
L. Brill
ID Number
1982.0795.23
catalog number
1982.0795.23
accession number
1982.0795

Model for Descriptive Geometry by A. Jullien - Representation of a Pyramid

Three points, a, b, and c on the horizontal plane make the triangular base of the pyramid. Point (s, s’) at the bend in the wire will be the apex. The three black strings represent the three remaining edges of the pyramid. Notice that the apex is not above the base.
Description
Three points, a, b, and c on the horizontal plane make the triangular base of the pyramid. Point (s, s’) at the bend in the wire will be the apex. The three black strings represent the three remaining edges of the pyramid. Notice that the apex is not above the base. The various projections after rotation to the horizontal plane allow the lengths of the sides to be found. The height of the pyramid is segment sS3.
For more details, see COLL.1986.0885 and 1986.0885.01.01.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880
maker
Jullien, A.
ID Number
1986.0885.01.30
catalog number
1986.0885.01.30
accession number
1986.0885

Wooden Model of a Parallelepiped Transformable into a Square Prism, J. Schroeder 20

This wooden model of a right square prism has square ends and rectangular sides. Two metal spikes protrude from one of the rectangular sides of the prism.
Description
This wooden model of a right square prism has square ends and rectangular sides. Two metal spikes protrude from one of the rectangular sides of the prism. The prism is bisected by a plane through the diagonals of the two squares, and can be rearranged to form a parallelepiped or separated into two triangular prisms. One side is stamped at the center: 20.
For information about Schroeder's models, see 1982.0795.39.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1889
ID Number
1982.0795.43
catalog number
1982.0795.43
accession number
1982.0795

Model for Descriptive Geometry by A. Jullien - Representation of a Plane (Projection of Lines on the Plane)

Figure 1 on the left shows plane APP’ cutting obliquely through the space with the black string showing a line on the plane.
Description
Figure 1 on the left shows plane APP’ cutting obliquely through the space with the black string showing a line on the plane. The vertical and horizontal projections of the plane are also depicted.
Figure 2 on the right shows the vertical and horizontal projection of a line in the plane BQB’.
For more details, see COLL.1986.0885 and 1986.0885.01.01.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880
maker
Jullien, A.
ID Number
1986.0885.01.05
catalog number
1986.0885.01.05
accession number
1986.0885

Model for Descriptive Geometry by A. Jullien - Representation of a Point

For the discussion that follows, the following conventions will be used to explain the location of points in each model. Any point in space can be denoted by a coordinate triple (x,y,z).
Description
For the discussion that follows, the following conventions will be used to explain the location of points in each model. Any point in space can be denoted by a coordinate triple (x,y,z). This is the three-dimensional version of the (x,y) plane from Euclidian geometry learned in high school. For our purposes, the x-axis will be the horizontal line stretching left and right at the fold of each relief. The y-axis will be on the horizontal plane (paper card) of each model, appearing to be coming out of the plane of each image. The z-axis will be the vertical axis of each relief and lies on the vertical plane (paper card) of each relief. In all of the reliefs, the x-coordinate is irrelevant since each projection will be with respect to the y and z planes. When needed, a point will be referred to in two coordinates only (y,z), leaving off the x-coordinate for brevity. Positive will be the forward or upward direction and negative values will be behind or below the cards of each relief.
In each relief, a point of interest that is on the vertical or horizontal plane will be marked by a letter and a small hole or dot. Points in space are shown by the bend in a wire that pierces the cards at the y and z intercepts (a,0) and (0,b) respectively and will be denoted (a, b). Lines are shown by black or red strings threaded between points on the cards or by wires and will be denoted by the point on the horizontal plan followed by the point on the vertical plane, such as ab. The title of each relief is actually a construction. For example, relief seven is entitled “line perpendicular to a plane.” This is actually a task, “construct a line perpendicular to a given plane in space.” Following Jullien, we will assume the directions are to construct the item in question. There are many projections shown for the construction of each item. For simplicity, I have only described the relevant items in each model, leaving out all the mathematical details. It would take a whole textbook on the topic to rigorously go through each model. And that is the point of the models, to supplement the textbook Jullien wrote. The reliefs slowly progress from simple to complex, starting with the depiction of points and lines and ending with the construction of a pyramid, guiding the students through the constructions of descriptive geometry. The progression of the reliefs follows the textbook.
In this particular model, nine points are shown for all the possible combinations of a positive, negative or zero value for y or z. For example, the first point on the left shows a point with both y and z coordinates positive.
Reference:
A. Jullien, Cours élémentaire de géométrie descriptive. . ., Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1875. There were editions of this book as late as 1887.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880
maker
Jullien, A.
ID Number
1986.0885.01.01
catalog number
1986.0885.01.01
accession number
1986.0885

Model for Descriptive Geometry by A. Jullien - Distance from a Point to a Line

Given point (a, a’) and line L, the slanted wire coming out of the horizontal plane at c and extending through (m, m’).
Description
Given point (a, a’) and line L, the slanted wire coming out of the horizontal plane at c and extending through (m, m’). Construct the horizontal line through (a, a’) that is perpendicular yet above to line L (the wire coming out of the vertical plane at d toward the right.) Then the plane FPF’ is a perpendicular to L at (m, m’). The vertical projection of the intersection of the plane and L is point e’ while the horizontal projection is point g. The red string is the line joining these two points which passes through (m, m’). Line eg is the horizontal projection of this line. By rotating points (a, a’) and (m, m’) about eg onto the horizontal plane, we get their images A’ and M’. The length of segment A’M’ is the distance from point (a, a’) to the line L at its perpendicular foot (m, m’).
For more details, see COLL.1986.0885 and 1986.0885.01.01.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880
maker
Jullien, A.
ID Number
1986.0885.01.23
catalog number
1986.0885.01.23
accession number
1986.0885

Darling, Brown & Sharpe Astronomical Linear Slide Rule

This large mahogany linear astronomical slide rule is covered with strips of German silver. There are two slides, each of which have scales on both sides. Each slide has a knob near one end for moving it; these may be unscrewed and attached on the reverse side.
Description
This large mahogany linear astronomical slide rule is covered with strips of German silver. There are two slides, each of which have scales on both sides. Each slide has a knob near one end for moving it; these may be unscrewed and attached on the reverse side. One slide is marked COLLIMATION on one side and AZIMUTH on the other. The other slide is marked LEVEL AZIMUTH on one side and REFRACTION on the other. The base has four identical, unlabeled logarithmic scales, each of which runs from 1 to 10 twice (with a bit more at each end).
On the center portion of the base, the instrument is marked Darling Brown & Sharpe Providence R.I. Darling, Brown & Sharpe did business under that name from 1866 to 1892. For additional company history, see 1977.0460.01. According to records of the United States Naval Observatory, this slide rule was purchased for $154.00 in December 1887. Few slide rules specifically for astronomy survive, so these large and expensive objects were probably not widely used. Compare to two late 19th-century rules held by the Powerhouse Museum, http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=233017.
Reference: Ledger of Instruments Purchased by the U.S. Naval Observatory, ca. 1845–1906, United States Naval Observatory, Washington, D.C.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1887
patentee
Darling, Samuel
maker
Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1987.0693.01
catalog number
328994
accession number
1987.0693

Model for Descriptive Geometry by A. Jullien - Special Case of the Intersection of a Line and a Plane

As with relief 17, APA’ is again the plane and the red string de’ is on the plane. In this relief, the line is represented by the wire coming out of the horizontal plane and away from the vertical plane (it intersects the vertical plane below the horizontal plane).
Description
As with relief 17, APA’ is again the plane and the red string de’ is on the plane. In this relief, the line is represented by the wire coming out of the horizontal plane and away from the vertical plane (it intersects the vertical plane below the horizontal plane). The point of intersection is at (m, m’) where the wire, the string and the bent wire meet. The horizontal and vertical projections are shown.
For more details, see COLL.1986.0885 and 1986.0885.01.01.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880
maker
Jullien, A.
ID Number
1986.0885.01.18
catalog number
1986.0885.01.18
accession number
1986.0885

Rule Hand Marked by Robert F. Roche

Robert Frederick Roche (b. about 1839), an immigrant from Ireland, apparently purchased this 20-inch wooden rule as a blank straight edge and then marked it by hand.
Description
Robert Frederick Roche (b. about 1839), an immigrant from Ireland, apparently purchased this 20-inch wooden rule as a blank straight edge and then marked it by hand. One side has a proportional scale marked up to one billion; an evenly divided scale numbered by ones from 1 to 12, with each unit equivalent to 4 cm; a logarithmic scale; a scale labeled PERCENTAGE; a scale labeled under 2 Percent; and a proportional scale numbered by ones from 2 to 13, with the number 6 miswritten as 8. The upper left corner of this side is missing. The right end is marked: Robert (/) F. Roche. A hole near the right end is for hanging the rule.
The other side has a proportional scale of units that is numbered by ones from 2 to 17 and labeled TENS at the right end; a logarithmic scale of tenths that is labeled UNITS at the right end; a proportional scale of roots and powers numbered by ones from 2 to 14; a proportional scale numbered by ones from 11 to [3]0; a scale of equal parts numbered by ones from 1 to 12, with each unit equivalent to 4 cm; and a scale of equal parts numbered by ones up to 47, with each unit equivalent to 1cm. The left end is stamped with an eagle logo and the word: TRADEMARK. This end is also marked: KEUFFEL & ESSER (/) N.Y.
Although the instrument was marked by Keuffel & Esser, by 1880 that firm sold no 20-inch straight edges. James W. Queen of Philadelphia did offer a 20-inch wooden straight edge for 30¢ in 1874, but one edge was beveled while both long edges of this instrument are straight. By 1877, like K&E, the shortest wooden straight edges offered by Queen were 24 inches long.
In 1864, Roche served in the U.S. Army at Fort Columbus in New York Harbor. According to a patent he received in 1878 and a notice of his son, Roche was stationed at Fort Foote in Maryland from at least 1871 to 1878, when this installation that provided defense to Washington, D.C., was abandoned and Roche moved his family into the District of Columbia.
References: James W. Queen & Co., Priced and Illustrated Catalogue . . . of Mathematical Instruments (Philadelphia, 1874), 46; James W. Queen & Co., Priced and Illustrated Catalogue . . . of Mathematical Instruments (Philadelphia, 1877), 46; Catalogue and Price List of Keuffel & Esser Co., 13th ed. (New York, 1880), 116; Robert F. Roche, "Improvement in Adding Sticks" (U.S. Patent 206,136 issued July 16, 1878); "New Inventions," Scientific American n.s., 39, no. 9 (August 31, 1878), 133; "Roche, Sidney," Who's Who in the Nation's Capital (Washington, D.C.: The Consolidated Publishing Company, 1921), 335. MA.311957 is an example of the patented device.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880
maker
Keuffel & Esser Co.
Roche, Robert F.
ID Number
1984.1080.02
accession number
1984.1080
catalog number
1984.1080.02

L. Brill No. 160 Ser. 6. No. 1a part of D41,10

This is a white plaster model of the outer shell of a Fresnel wave surface for a biaxial crystal. The model originally was in two pieces that were notched to fit together. Both of the original two pieces are broken in half.A paper tag on one piece reads: D41,10.
Description
This is a white plaster model of the outer shell of a Fresnel wave surface for a biaxial crystal. The model originally was in two pieces that were notched to fit together. Both of the original two pieces are broken in half.
A paper tag on one piece reads: D41,10. Another paper tag reads: Fresnel'sche Wellenflache (/) Verl. v. L. Brill 6. Ser. Nr. 1a.
The inner shell of the wave surface is 1982.0795.24.
This is a white plaster model of the outer shell of a Fresnel wave surface for a biaxial crystal. The model originally was in two pieces that were notched to fit together. Both of the original two pieces are broken in half.
A paper tag on one piece reads: D41,10. Another paper tag reads: Fresnel'sche Wellenflache (/) Verl. v. L. Brill 6. Ser. Nr. 1a.
The inner shell of the wave surface is 1982.0795.24.
The model is part of a series designed under the direction of Alexander Brill at the technical high school in Munich and first published in Darmstadt in 1880.
References:
L. Brill, Catalog, 1892, p. 13, 87.
For examples of related models, with a reference to a related publication, see the Goettingen collection of mathematical models, model numbers 285 and 286.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1889
maker
Brill, L.
ID Number
1982.0795.25
catalog number
1982.0795.25
accession number
1982.0795

Model for Descriptive Geometry by A. Jullien - Angle between a Line and a Plane

The given plane is CPC’ and the line goes from b on the horizontal plane to a’ on the vertical plane. The holes can be seen in the image, but the black string is missing. Point (m, m’) is any point on the line.
Description
The given plane is CPC’ and the line goes from b on the horizontal plane to a’ on the vertical plane. The holes can be seen in the image, but the black string is missing. Point (m, m’) is any point on the line. Construct the line from (m, m’) to point d on the horizontal plane that is perpendicular to the plane. This line is the wire protruding out of the horizontal plane. Through the use of several projections seen in the relief, point M2 on the horizontal plane is the image of the rotation of point (m, m’). Then angle fM2d on the horizontal plane is the angle between the given plane and line.
For more details, see COLL.1986.0885 and 1986.0885.01.01.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880
maker
Jullien, A.
ID Number
1986.0885.01.27
catalog number
1986.0885.01.27
accession number
1986.0885

Keuffel & Esser 1740 Thacher Cylindrical Slide Rule

This rule has a cylindrical hollow brass drum, which is covered with paper printed with 40 A scales. The first A scale runs from 100 to 112; the fortieth runs from 946 to 100 to 105. The paper is also printed in italics on the right side: Patented by Edwin Thatcher [sic], C.E.
Description
This rule has a cylindrical hollow brass drum, which is covered with paper printed with 40 A scales. The first A scale runs from 100 to 112; the fortieth runs from 946 to 100 to 105. The paper is also printed in italics on the right side: Patented by Edwin Thatcher [sic], C.E. Nov. 1st 1881. Divided by W. F. Stanley, London, 1882. A wooden handle is attached to each end of the drum, and the drum slides in both directions.
The drum fits inside an open rotating frame to which 20 brass slats are fastened. The slats are lined with cloth and covered with paper. The paper on each slat is printed with two B and two C scales. The first B scale runs from 100 to 112; the fortieth runs from 946 to 100 to 105. The first C scale runs from 100 to 334; the fortieth runs from 308 to 325. The frame is attached to a mahogany base, and the object is housed in a mahogany case. A paper label appears to have been removed from the top of the case.
A paper of directions and rules for operating THACHER'S CALCULATING INSTRUMENT is glued to the top front of the base. A metal tag attached to the top back of the base is engraved: Keuffel & Esser (/) New York. The front right corner of the frame is stamped with numbers: 57 and 35. Presumably one of these is the serial number, but which one is not clear. In either case, the low number and the shape of the frame suggest that this example is the earliest Thacher cylindrical slide rule in the collections. Model 1740 sold for $30.00 in 1887.
Robert B. Steffes of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics donated this instrument to the Smithsonian in 1970.
See also MA.312866 and 1987.0107.08.
References: Wayne E. Feely, "Thacher Cylindrical Slide Rules," The Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association 50 (1997): 125–127; Catalogue of Keuffel & Esser (New York, 1887), 128. This was the first K&E catalog to list the model 1740.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1882-1887
maker
Keuffel & Esser Co.
Stanley, William Ford
ID Number
1987.0808.01
catalog number
1987.0808.01
accession number
1987.0808

Wooden Model of a Parallelepiped Transformable into a Rectangular Prism, J. Schroeder 14

This wooden model of a rectangular prism has six rectangular faces. Two metal spikes protrude from one side.
Description
This wooden model of a rectangular prism has six rectangular faces. Two metal spikes protrude from one side. The prism is bisected by a plane through the diagonals of two opposite sides, and can be rearranged to form an oblique parallelepiped or separated into two triangular prisms. One side is stamped: 14. For information about Schroeder's models, see 1982.0795.39.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1889
ID Number
1982.0795.44
catalog number
1982.0795.44
accession number
1982.0795

Model for Descriptive Geometry by A. Jullien - Image (Rotation) of Any Plane

Plane APA’ is any plane in space with point (m, m’). The two red strings, the black string and the horizontal wire are all lines on the plane.
Description
Plane APA’ is any plane in space with point (m, m’). The two red strings, the black string and the horizontal wire are all lines on the plane. Vertical and horizontal projections are given, as well as the results of rotation of the plane about lines AP, nm, cn, and ce.
For more details, see COLL.1986.0885 and 1986.0885.01.01.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880
maker
Jullien, A.
ID Number
1986.0885.01.13
catalog number
1986.0885.01.13
accession number
1986.0885

Model for Descriptive Geometry by A. Jullien - Angle between Two Planes with Parallel Horizontal Traces

The two planes are APA’ and BQB’, both perpendicular to the vertical plane. As can be seen in the relief, the horizontal images are the parallel lines PA and QB.
Description
The two planes are APA’ and BQB’, both perpendicular to the vertical plane. As can be seen in the relief, the horizontal images are the parallel lines PA and QB. Each red string represent a line on each plane that is perpendicular to intersection of the plane with the horizontal plane. These lines meet at (m, m’). The locus of all such intersection points is the horizontal line (wire) coming out of the vertical plane. By rotating (m, m’) about segment sm, the image of the angle of intersection of the planes is given by angle sM1n.
For more details, see COLL.1986.0885 and 1986.0885.01.01.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880
maker
Jullien, A.
ID Number
1986.0885.01.29
catalog number
1986.0885.01.29
accession number
1986.0885

Spectrometer

This instrument, which could be used with either a prism or a diffraction grating, has a graduated horizontal circle read by microscopes and verniers. The “Wm.
Description
This instrument, which could be used with either a prism or a diffraction grating, has a graduated horizontal circle read by microscopes and verniers. The “Wm. Grunow / New York” inscription refers to William Grunow (1830-1917), a German craftsman who, with his brother Julius, came to the United States in 1849 and went to work making microscopes. In 1873, now settled in New York, Grunow announced his willingness “to execute all orders for philosophical instruments.” In 1881 he moved to West Point, and spent the next 36 years as custodian of the astronomical observatory of the U.S. Military Academy.
Ref: D.J. Warner, “Julius & William Grunow,” Rittenhouse 3 (1989): 41-48.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1873-1881
maker
Grunow, William
ID Number
PH.315659
catalog number
315659
accession number
217544

Spectrometer

This is a six-prism spectrometer on a rectangular base. The “Wm. Grunow / New York” inscription refers to William Grunow (1830-1917), a German craftsman who, with his brother Julius, came to the United States in 1849 and went to work making microscopes.
Description
This is a six-prism spectrometer on a rectangular base. The “Wm. Grunow / New York” inscription refers to William Grunow (1830-1917), a German craftsman who, with his brother Julius, came to the United States in 1849 and went to work making microscopes. In 1873, now settled in New York, Grunow announced his willingness “to execute all orders for philosophical instruments.” In 1881 he moved to West Point, and spent the next 36 years as custodian of the astronomical observatory of the U.S. Military Academy.
Ref: D.J. Warner, “Julius & William Grunow,” Rittenhouse 3 (1989): 41-48.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1873-1881
maker
Grunow, William
ID Number
PH.315432
catalog number
315432
accession number
217544

Spectroscope

This is a six-prism instrument on a rectangular base. The “Wm. Grunow / New York” inscription refers to William Grunow (1830-1917), a German craftsman who, with his brother Julius, came to the United States in 1849 and went to work making microscopes.
Description
This is a six-prism instrument on a rectangular base. The “Wm. Grunow / New York” inscription refers to William Grunow (1830-1917), a German craftsman who, with his brother Julius, came to the United States in 1849 and went to work making microscopes. In 1873, now settled in New York, Grunow announced his willingness “to execute all orders for philosophical instruments.” In 1881 he moved to West Point, and spent the next 36 years as custodian of the astronomical observatory of the U.S. Military Academy.
Ref: D.J. Warner, “Julius & William Grunow,” Rittenhouse 3 (1989): 41-48.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1873-1881
maker
Grunow, William
ID Number
PH.315430
catalog number
315430
accession number
217544

Magnetometer

Johann von Lamont, director of the astronomical and meteorological observatory at Bogenhausen, introduced this type of theodolite magnetometer in the 1840s. This example marked "Wm. Grunow, New York" belonged to the U.S.
Description
Johann von Lamont, director of the astronomical and meteorological observatory at Bogenhausen, introduced this type of theodolite magnetometer in the 1840s. This example marked "Wm. Grunow, New York" belonged to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and probably dates from the period 1873-1883. William Grunow was a native of Berlin who, together with his brother Julius, immigrated to the United States in 1849 and made microscopes in New York, New Haven, and again New York. When the partnership dissolved in the late 1860s, William began making instruments for physics research. He moved to West Point in 1883.

Ref: D. J. Warner, "Julius & William Grunow," Rittenhouse 3 (1989): 41-48.

Johann von Lamont, Handbuch des Erdmagnetismus (Berlin, 1849).

Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1873-1883
maker
Grunow, William
ID Number
PH.316428
accession number
223721
catalog number
316428

Models for Descriptive Geometry by A. Jullien

This wooden box holds thirty models (called reliefs in French). Each is a folded card held in place by a metal mount that can rest in the palm of the hand. Each model depicts a concept of descriptive geometry.
Description
This wooden box holds thirty models (called reliefs in French). Each is a folded card held in place by a metal mount that can rest in the palm of the hand. Each model depicts a concept of descriptive geometry. Wires and string show the geometric concepts in three dimensions and the two projections are depicted on the horizontal and vertical portion of the card. The strings are held in place by small washers on the back of the cards.
Individual models are described in records 1986.0885.01.01 through 1986.0885.01.30. A related manual is 1986.0885.02.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880
maker
Jullien, A.
ID Number
COLL.1986.0885
accession number
1986.0885

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