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Polarising apparatus

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probably made in Edinburgh

Polarising apparatus
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This polarising apparatus (pictured here with its box) was made around 1860, probably by James Bryson (1824-94) of Edinburgh.

The apparatus consists of black reflecting glass inside the lid, a Nicol prism on an adjustable pillar and a glass stand. The stand tilts to allow objects to be illuminated by light partially polarised by inclined reflection from the black glass surface.

The apparatus is used to show the lines of strain in unannealed glass shapes through the Nicol prism analyser. This photo-elastic effect was discovered by David Brewster (1781-1868) in 1816, but not widely investigated until the 20th century.

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