Experimental electricity set

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This static electricity set was made around 1888 by Meiser and Mertig of Dresden in Germany, for educational purposes. It was retailed in Edinburgh by William Hume.

The set consists of a small, single-plate frictional electrical machine and accessories. It is shown with a booklet 'Experimental Physics', in which 120 exercises in static electricity are described. The set was priced at £1 10s (£1-50). Hume also retailed sets of galvanic (or chemical) electricity, acoustics and, in 1889, optics. All were made by the same Dresden company.

In the accompanying booklet, Hume wrote: 'In an age when Science ministers to use in so many ways, it is desirable that all classes should acquire a knowledge of its main principles.' However, this was clearly not a cheap toy when most Scots earned less than £30 a year.

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• Online ID: 000-190-002-326-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1960.44 G
• Date: Around 1888
  c. 1888
  c. 1888
  c. 1888
  c. 1888
  c. 1888
  c. 1888
  c. 1888
  
• Material: Ebonite
  Glass plate
  Glass with tinfoil coatings
  Wood
  Frictional electrical machine
  Frictional electrical machine / discharger
  Frictional electrical machine / induction cylinder
  Frictional electrical machine / Leyden jar
  Frictional electrical machine / motor, electrostatic
  Frictional electrical machine / plate
  Frictional electrical machine / plate / stand
  
• Dimensions: 10.25" H
  4.75" x 3.38" plate
  5.00" H x 2.50" D
  5.75" x 3.50"
  6.00" L
  8.00" plate D
  
• What: Frictional electrical machine
  Frictional electrical machine / discharger
  Frictional electrical machine / induction cylinder
  Frictional electrical machine / Leyden jar
  Frictional electrical machine / motor, electrostatic
  Frictional electrical machine / plate
  Frictional electrical machine / plate / stand
  
• Subject: 8. ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Static (Departmental Classification)
  22. PHYSICS, Magnetism and Electricity (Departmental Classification)
  8. ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Static (Departmental Classification)
  22. PHYSICS, Magnetism and Electricity (Departmental Classification)
  8. ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Static (Departmental Classification)
  22. PHYSICS, Magnetism and Electricity (Departmental Classification)
  8. ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Static (Departmental Classification)
  22. PHYSICS, Magnetism and Electricity (Departmental Classification)
  8. ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Static (Departmental Classification)
  22. PHYSICS, Magnetism and Electricity (Departmental Classification)
  8. ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Static (Departmental Classification)
  22. PHYSICS, Magnetism and Electricity (Departmental Classification)
  8. ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Static (Departmental Classification)
  22. PHYSICS, Magnetism and Electricity (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who: Meiser and Mertig, Dresden (Maker)
  Meiser and Mertig, Dresden (Maker)
  Meiser and Mertig, Dresden (Maker)
  Meiser and Mertig, Dresden (Maker)
  Meiser and Mertig, Dresden (Maker)
  Meiser and Mertig, Dresden (Maker)
  Meiser and Mertig, Dresden (Maker)
  William Hume, Edinburgh (Retailer)
  William Hume, Edinburgh (Retailer)
  William Hume, Edinburgh (Retailer)
  William Hume, Edinburgh (Retailer)
  William Hume, Edinburgh (Retailer)
  William Hume, Edinburgh (Retailer)
  William Hume, Edinburgh (Retailer)
  William Hume, Lothian Street, Edinburgh (Vendor)
  William Hume, Lothian Street, Edinburgh (Vendor)
  William Hume, Lothian Street, Edinburgh (Vendor)
  William Hume, Lothian Street, Edinburgh (Vendor)
  William Hume, Lothian Street, Edinburgh (Vendor)
  William Hume, Lothian Street, Edinburgh (Vendor)
  William Hume, Lothian Street, Edinburgh (Vendor)
  
• Where: Germany, Dresden
  Germany, Dresden
  Germany, Dresden
  Germany, Dresden
  Germany, Dresden
  Germany, Dresden
  Germany, Dresden
  Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
  Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
  Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
  Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
  Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
  Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
  Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
  
• Event:
• Description: Small frictional electrical machine by Meiser and Mertig of Dresden, retailed by William Hume of Edinburgh, c. 1888
  Leyden jar, an accessory for a frictional electrical machine by Meiser and Mertig of Dresden, retailed by William Hume of Edinburgh, c. 1888
  Wooden induction cylinder, an accessory for a frictional electrical machine by Meiser and Mertig of Dresden, retailed by William Hume of Edinburgh, c. 1888
  Electrostatic motor with a six-knobbed rotor, an accessory for a frictional electrical machine by Meiser and Mertig of Dresden, retailed by William Hume of Edinburgh, c. 1888
  Discharger, an accessory for a frictional electrical machine by Meiser and Mertig of Dresden, retailed by William Hume of Edinburgh, c. 1888
  Ebonite plate with a stand, an accessory for a frictional electrical machine by Meiser and Mertig of Dresden, retailed by William Hume of Edinburgh, c. 1888
  Glass plate with tinfoil coatings, an accessory for a frictional electrical machine by Meiser and Mertig of Dresden, retailed by William Hume of Edinburgh, c. 1888
  
• References:
  • For a general discussion about the development of static electric machines, see W.D. Hackmann, Electricity from Glass: the History of the Frictional Electrical Machine 1600-1850, Alphen aan den Rijn, 1978. 
  • For William Hume and his business, see T.N. Clarke et al., Brass & Glass: Scientific Instrument Making Workshops in Scotland, Edinburgh, 1989, pp 132-137. 
  • William Hume, Experimental Physics. Part II Electricity: Static, with 120 Exercises, Edinburgh 1888. 
• Translations:
• Related Records: