Historical Scientific Instruments

Vintage engravings of early scientific instruments, such as hydrometers and pistons, capturing the evolution of technology in the 18th and 19th centuries.

But fragments, vintage engraving. But fragments, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1842. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10660358

Engraving depicting a hydrometer, an instrument that measures the specific gravity (relative density) of liquidsthe ratio of the density of the liquid to the density of water. Dated 18th Century

Transformation of vertical movement of the piston rod of a machine without a condenser, in a circular motion, using an articulated connecting rod Transformation of the vertical movement of a piston rod of a machine without a condenser, in a circular motion, using an articulated connecting rod

Closing of the spring, vintage engraving. Closing of the spring, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1870. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10679241

But fragments, vintage engraving. But fragments, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1842. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10660358

Fig 27. Drop of oil at rest. Fig 28. Drop of oil movement, vintage engraved illustration. Earth before man a 1886.

Engraving depicting Lord Kelvin's mirror galvanometer showing the mirror A with a small magnet attached. BB are bobbins would with fine copper wire through which current to be measured is passed.

technics, machines, sewing machine, detail, transporter, wood engraving, 19th century,

Circular key-board of Jacob Brett's electric telegraph. 1847.

An engraving depicting a sphygmograph, a device invented by Étienne-Jules Marey for recording the pulse and variations graphically in blood and pressure. Étienne-Jules Marey (1830-1904) a French scientist, physiologist and chronophotographer. Dated 19th century

Engraving depicting J. J. Thomson's apparatus for studying 'positive' rays. J. J. Thomson (1856-1940) an English physicist and Nobel Laureate. Dated 20th Century

Diagram of an experiment conducted by J. J. Thomson (1856-1940) an English physicist and Noble Prize laureate in Physics. Dated 20th Century

Cylinder and slide of a machine without condenser

Illustration showing the wooden beam of James Watt's steam engine. 1842

The inventor of the ardent mirror, the screw of water, the worm, vintage engraved illustration. From the Universe and Humanity, 1910.

Apparatus JB Porta or high water vapor above its level, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1847.

The barrel of the liquid layer to provide a square vase below, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1847.

Decomposition of water by the cell, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1857.

technics, machines, power loom of Edmund Cartwright, 1785, wood engraving, 19th century,

medicine narcosis transparent narcosis mask by Hans Killian,

Turtle (also called American Turtle), the world's first submersible vessel, showing the elevation, top, and the cross section, bottom. Constructed in 1775 by American David Bushnell as a means of att

An engraving depicting Dumney's Phonoscope. In this, a series of stills of a man speaking was fixed to the edge of a circular card. When this was turned and viewed through a split, it gave the appearance of the continuous picture. Dated 19th century

An engraving depicting the Bessemer movable converter used in the Bessemer process. Henry Bessemer invented the Bessemer method of making steel. Henry Bessemer (1813-1898) an English inventor. Dated 19th century

The accumulator (a secondary or storage battery) invented by French physicist Gaston Plante. Date: 1859

THE COMPENSATION PENDULUM

Battery of M. V_rit_, from Beauvais

The Leyden jar communicates with the electric machine

An engraving depicting a spirit still, patented by Miller of Glasgow. This deployed evaporating cones with spiral channels, round the outside. (c 1860)

Foucault's pendulum which demonstrated both the rotation of the earth and the concept of inertia. Leon Foucault (1819-1861) French physicist. Wood engraving, c1895.

19th Century diagram of a simple water clock where water is allowed to escape at a controlled rate from a spout at the bottom. The divisions allowed for the passing of each hour differ according to the dimensions of the vessel and the head of water still in it.

Section of a lamp, vintage engraved illustration. Industrial encyclopedia E.-O. Lami - 1875.

Drawing of Alessandro Volta's (1745-1827) condensing gold leaf electroscope. An electroscope is an early scientific instrument that is used to detect the presence and magnitude of electric charge on a body. It was the first electrical measuring instrument.

Sphere rotating by the reaction of steam, vintage engraving. Sphere rotating by the reaction of steam, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1847. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10673547

An engraving depicting a pendulum with an anchor escapement. Dated 19th century

Engraving depicting Hermann Sprengel's air pump. Hermann Sprengel (1834-1906) a German-British chemist. Dated 19th Century

Various surveying and engineering instruments. In: Geometriae practicae novae et auctae tractatus I-IV ... By Daniel Schwenter, 1585-1636. Published posthumously in 1641

Engraving depicting an Aeolipile, a simple bladeless radial steam turbine which spins when the central water container is heated. Dated 19th century

An engraving depicting a combined semaphore and light railway signal. When the arm is horizontal the red light shows, and 'danger' signalled. When the arm is hanging at 45 degrees, the green light shows and 'proceed' signalled. The right-hand view shows the signal at rest. Dated 19th century

Illustration depicting the London May-pole. Dated 18th Century

Engraving depicting a cheese press. Dated 18th Century

Smith's locomotive battery, 1862. 'This is a design for a small one-gun battery intended to travel on common roads. It. is the invention of F. Smith...The battery is proposed to be constructed of iron of sufficient thickness to resist the shot from such artillery as usually accompanies an army "on the march"; its dimensions to be 24ft. in length, 12ft. in height, and 16ft. in width. These proportions, it is thought, will allow of its passing easily along turnpike roads whose minimum width is fixed by law at thirty feet. The battery is intended to be propelled by steam machinery...the

A woodcut engraving depicting a Clepsydra in which the weight of water operated the escapement in different tanks. Dated 17th century

Engraving depicting perpetual motion by magnetism and weights. Dated 18th Century

Engraving depicting Stephen Hales' experiment to demonstrate circulation in plants. Hales placed the stem of a vine in a long tube and observed that liquid rose 44 feet. Stephen Hales (1677-1761) an English clergyman, botanist, chemist and physiologist. Dated 19th century

Experimental barometers used by the Accademia dell Cimento. Fig. XVIII is a mercury barometer. From 'Saggi de naturali esperienze fatte nell', Academia del Cimento', 2nd edition. (Florence, 1691). Engraving.

An engraving depicting an aerial rooting or ringing. This procedure was used either to shorten a plant that had grown leggy by reducing the length of the stem, or to layer branches of a subject two tall to be bent to the ground. Dated 20th century

Suction thermometer, vintage engraved illustration. From the Universe and Humanity, 1910.

Right oblique and chisel, vintage engraving. Right oblique and chisel, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1853. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10673937

Sanitary lead for common use, without water or interception. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1886

Engraving depicting an Incandescent Electric Lamp.

An engraving depicting a Fresnel echelon or lighthouse lens from the front and side. At A is a plano-convex lens a foot in diameter surrounded by glass rings whose curvature is calculated so that they have the same focus as A. M, N are mirrors which turn light which escapes the lens into the same path as the primary beam. Dated 19th century

Brooke's Deep-Sea Sounding Apparatus. From 'The Depths of the Sea' by C. Wyville Thomson, 1874.

Illustration showing FARADAY and Bancalari's demonstration of the effect of magnetism on a candle flame, shoving the result of placing magnet in different positions: A. Candle across magnetic axis; C. Flame raised above magnetic axis; B. Flames above magnetic axis.

Ole Rømer's use of the eclipses of Jupiter's satellites to measure the speed of light (1675). Ole Rømer (1644-1710) a Danish astronomer. Dated 18th century

Fig.586. Cross section, Fig.587. Longitudinal section, vintage engraved illustration. Industrial encyclopedia E.-O. Lami - 1875.

Blythe system-thermo-carbolisation. Overview of devices, vintage engraved illustration.

Hubs for two forward channels, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1861.

An engraving depicting the process of taking an x-ray of an elbow using Radiguet's apparatus. Dated 19th century

Section of an industrial lamp, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1836.

Illustration showing Pump drill used by the Iroquois to produce fire; Native American 1896

Engraving depicting Galileo Galilei's method of measuring the height of lunar mountains. Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) an Italian polymath. Dated 17th century

An engraving depicting a storm cone invented by Robert FitzRoy (1805-1865) an English officer of the Royal Navy and a scientist. Dated 19th century

Drawing of the reflecting telescope used by Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727), British scientist

Extraction of the essential oil of hops, vintage engraved illustration. Industrial encyclopedia E.-O. Lami - 1875.

Binocular microscopes of Langenmantel. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1889

Engraving depicting the studying of vortex rings in liquid. A vortex ring, also called a toroidal vortex, is a torus-shaped vortex in a fluid or gas; that is, a region where the fluid mostly spins around an imaginary axis line that forms a closed loop. Dated 19th Century

Railway signal

John Mayow's (1640-1679) experiment to prove the volume of air is diminished by respiration. From his 'Tractatus quinque medico-physici', 1674.

The Springfield system. Gun detail. Originally published in January 1880 in Scribners Monthly Magazine

Air Balloon invention in the 17th century. engraving by unknown artist from Mechanics magazine 1825

Sanitary toilet room. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1886

Engraving depicting a table lighter which used an electrically produced spark to ignite alcohol

Herstellung von Ethanol, Alkohol, Ethylalkohol und Trinkalkohol, 19. Jahrhundert, Hefekammer und Gärraum mit beweglichen Kühlvorrichtungen, digital re...

Illustration depicting Coleman's apparatus for administrating prolonged anaesthesia by nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Dated 20th century

Illustration of a 'Three pillar microscope' of the type produced by Edmund Culpeper (1660-1738) circa 1730.

Tomicus lineatus, vintage engraving. Tomicus lineatus, vintage engraved illustration. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10647996

Illustration of hydrodynamics, from Galileo 'Discorso intorno alie cose che stanno in su l'acqua' (Discourse on Things that Float). From Opere di Galileo Galilei, Padua, 1744.

TELLURION GLOBE FOR EXHIBITING THE DIURNAL AND ANNUAL MOTIONS OF THE EARTH AND ITS POSITIONS WITH REGARD TO THE SUN. INVENTED BY MR. J.L. NAISH, OF BRIGHTON, UK, 1866

Diagram showing the method of using the eclipses of Jupiter's satellites to measure the velocity of light. The first person to use this method was Ole Rømer. Ole Rømer (1644-1710) a Danish astronomer who in 1676 made the first quantitative measurements of the speed of light. Dated 19th century

Illustration depicting the frame-work of a ship. Dated 19th Century

Engraving depicting a concave mirror. The diagram showing the virtual focus when the light source is inside the principal focus. Dated 19th Century

Activating a part of the battery of Wollaston

Electrical state of muscle

Giant crossbow, extractor by Leonardo da Vinci / Riesenarmbrust, Schleudermaschine nach Leonardo da Vinci, Historisch, historical, digital improved reproduction of an original from the 19th century / digitale Reproduktion einer Originalvorlage aus dem 19. Jahrhundert.

Engraving depicting an inward flow turbine with detachable parts. Dated 19th century

Engraving depicting John Frederic Daniell's element in a modified form. A glass vessel containing diluted sulphuric acid: inside is a zinc cylinder (Z) surrounding a porous vessel containing a copper tube and a solution of sulphate of copper.

Wooden sextant with screw adjustment. From Tycho Brahe 'Astronomiae instaurate mechanica', 1602.

Photo of drawings. >>

Engraving depicting Francesco Lana de Terzi's flying boat concept. Francesco Lana de Terzi (1631-1687) an Italian Jesuit priest, mathematician, naturalist and aeronautics pioneer. Dated 19th century

An engraving depicting a male patient suffering from Syncope, the temporary loss of consciousness usually related to insufficient blood flow to the brain. It's also called fainting or "passing out." Dated 19th century

A woodcut engraving depicting perpetual motion by magnetism. A is a spherical magnet with its poles on either side. A piece of iron lies at D and is attracted up the slide C B to E. Here it strikes the wall of the container and drops down to D again. Dated 17th century

Balllista. Siege engine. 14th century. Engraving.

A Stiengs quiver, a specimen of the art among the Indo-Chinese savages, Laos. Southeast Asia. Laos and the wild populations of Indochina 1877 by Doctor Jules Harmand (1845 - 1921) Old 19th century engraving from Le Tour du Monde 1880

energy, water, turbines, rotor for high gradients, longitudinal section, wood engraving, late 19th century,

Silver gelatin print showing Amphipleura Pellucida, a diatom, enlarged 3000 times, highlighting its structure and form, created by Hans Hauswaldt before 1900.

Engraving depicting the path of a projectile according to Niccolò Fontana Tartaglia. Niccolò Fontana Tartaglia (1499-1557) an Italian mathematician, engineer, a surveyor and a bookkeeper from the then-Republican of Venice. Dated 16th Century

Der drohende Zusammenstoß Heinrichs IV. mit seinem Sohn Heinrich, dem späteren V. Illustration aus dem Manuskript von Otto von Freisings Chronik, digi...

English, 20th century, illustration of a refrigerator, showing compartments for Ice and Food. From Mrs Beeton's book of Household Management 1901

Engraving depicting a Geissler tube, an early gas discharge tube used to demonstrate the principles of electrical glow discharge, similar to modern neon lighting. Invented by Heinrich Geißler (1814-1879) a German glassblower, physicist and inventor. Dated 19th Century

Engraving depicting Ole Rømer's use of the eclipses of Jupiter's satellites to measure the speed of light. Ole Rømer (1644-1710) a Danish astronomer. Dated 18th Century

An engraving depicting a method of using a camera obscura as a drawing aid. Dated 19th century

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