19th Nov, 2021 12:00
Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science
An important Kelvin-Pattern Electrostatic Machine, the ‘Replenisher’
English, c.1875, signed to the lacquered brass top ‘Elliot Bros, London’, with brass top holding an insulated conductor, in the centre is a spindle holding the internal rotor, all supported in a hand blown glass vessel with a broken point to the base, dimensions 14cm tall.
Footnote:
The “Replenisher” electrostatic machine is considered the first symmetrical rotating electrostatic influence machine. The principle was first described in Giuseppe Belli’s book on electricity published in 1838, 42 years before James Wimshurst invented his famous influence machine, which by 1883, was widely known as the Wimshurst machine. However it was Lord Kelvin (William Thomsom), who in 1867, developed an electrostatic machine based on Belli’s original design for electrifying the ink in a telegraph printer, Kelvin called this small instrument a “Replenisher” (i)
Elliot Brothers, who built this instrument, were a well-known maker of scientific instruments who specialised in electrical equipment and were early makers of telegraph equipment. In 1875 at the The Society Of Telegraph Engineers (ii) exhibition Eliot brothers presented a number of instruments, one of which, exhibit no. 133. Was a “Replenisher. For use with quadrant electrometer”
Giuseppe Belli (1791-1860) was an Italian physicist (iii) , and Professor at the Universities of Milan, Padua and Pavia, where, between 1842 and 1860, he held the chair once occupied by Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), he conducted research in meteorology, thermology, and other fields, but his chief interest was electrical phenomena, he is known for inventing many scientific instruments, including a new type of hygrometer, a psychrometer, an electrical duplicator, and a magneto-electric motor, he is credited with being the first person to develop an induction plate electrostatic machine
We have been able to find only one other “Replenisher” electrostatic machine which is held in the collection of the London Science Museum
(i)https://zapatopi.net/kelvin/papers/on_electric_machines.html
(ii)https://atlantic-cable.com/Article/1875Conversazione/index.htm
(iii)http://musei.unipv.eu/msu/our-museums/historical-figures/belli-giuseppe
(iv)https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co6839/kelvin-replenisher-made-by-paul
English, c.1875, signed to the lacquered brass top ‘Elliot Bros, London’, with brass top holding an insulated conductor, in the centre is a spindle holding the internal rotor, all supported in a hand blown glass vessel with a broken point to the base, dimensions 14cm tall.
Footnote:
The “Replenisher” electrostatic machine is considered the first symmetrical rotating electrostatic influence machine. The principle was first described in Giuseppe Belli’s book on electricity published in 1838, 42 years before James Wimshurst invented his famous influence machine, which by 1883, was widely known as the Wimshurst machine. However it was Lord Kelvin (William Thomsom), who in 1867, developed an electrostatic machine based on Belli’s original design for electrifying the ink in a telegraph printer, Kelvin called this small instrument a “Replenisher” (i)
Elliot Brothers, who built this instrument, were a well-known maker of scientific instruments who specialised in electrical equipment and were early makers of telegraph equipment. In 1875 at the The Society Of Telegraph Engineers (ii) exhibition Eliot brothers presented a number of instruments, one of which, exhibit no. 133. Was a “Replenisher. For use with quadrant electrometer”
Giuseppe Belli (1791-1860) was an Italian physicist (iii) , and Professor at the Universities of Milan, Padua and Pavia, where, between 1842 and 1860, he held the chair once occupied by Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), he conducted research in meteorology, thermology, and other fields, but his chief interest was electrical phenomena, he is known for inventing many scientific instruments, including a new type of hygrometer, a psychrometer, an electrical duplicator, and a magneto-electric motor, he is credited with being the first person to develop an induction plate electrostatic machine
We have been able to find only one other “Replenisher” electrostatic machine which is held in the collection of the London Science Museum
(i)https://zapatopi.net/kelvin/papers/on_electric_machines.html
(ii)https://atlantic-cable.com/Article/1875Conversazione/index.htm
(iii)http://musei.unipv.eu/msu/our-museums/historical-figures/belli-giuseppe
(iv)https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co6839/kelvin-replenisher-made-by-paul
Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science, 19th Nov, 2021
