Magnetic toy by George Adams

Made:
1765 in London and Fleet Street
maker:
George Adams
Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams

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Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams
Science Museum Group Collections
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams
Science Museum Group Collections
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams
Science Museum Group Collections
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams
Science Museum Group Collections
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams
Science Museum Group Collections
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams
Science Museum Group Collections
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams
Science Museum Group Collections
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Magnetic toy demonstration device made by George Adams, Fleet Street, London, 1765. Consisting of two mahogany boxes. One contains 4 dials with the numbers: 1, 5, 6 and 7 in each - situated beneath sliding lid with square window revealing one number per dial. The second box contains 4 ebony blocks numbered 1, 7, 6, 5, each slightly trapezoid in shape. Both boxes have hinged lids with 2 metal catches at the front.

This toy was a demonstration device made by George Adams, instrument maker to King George III. It was used to demonstrate magnetism. If the box containing the windows was placed above the box containing the ebony pieces, the numbers in the windows corresponded to the numbers below on the ebony pieces. This is because the paper dials under the windows carry concealed magnets which align themselves with concealed magnets in the ebony pieces.

Details

Category:
King George III
Object Number:
1927-1278
Materials:
wood (unidentified), mahogany (wood), ebony (wood), brass (copper, zinc alloy), paper (fibre product), glass and steel (metal)
Measurements:
1st box: 22 mm x 352 mm x 70 mm, , .2kg
2nd box: 16 mm x x , , .15kg
type:
physics demonstration equipment
credit:
King's College, London