Experimental electricity set

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:	0098: 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
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.
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