Wedgwood pyrometer, 1786

Wedgwood pyrometer, 1786 Wedgwood pyrometer, 1786 Wedgwood pyrometer, 1786

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License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

King's College London
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Wedgwood pyrometer with two porcelain taper gauges, and porcelain test pieces, in a mahogany case, 1786.

This pyrometer was presented to King George III by Josiah Wedgwood, its inventor, in 1786. Wedgwood developed the instrument to measure the high temperatures used in firing pottery. As porcelain shrinks when fired, the shrinkage of small pieces of porcelain could be used to measure kiln temperature. The pieces were fired and then placed in the gauge.

Details

Category:
King George III
Object Number:
1927-1812
Materials:
porcelain and mahogany
Measurements:
box: length 215 mm
box: width 103 mm
box: height 77 mm
pyrometers: length 185 mm
pyrometers: width 35 mm
pyrometers: depth 17 mm
box: length 216 mm
box: height 71 mm
box: width 104 mm
object in box x2: height 20 mm
object in box x2: length 190 mm
object in box x2: width 36 mm
type:
pyrometers
rights:
Unlinked Name
credit:
King’s College London

Parts

One of two Wedgwood pyrometer taper gauges

One of two Wedgwood pyrometer taper gauges

One of two Wedgwood pyrometer taper gauges, with four porcelain test pieces.

Materials:
porcelain and mahogany (wood)
Object Number:
1927-1812 Pt2
type:
gauge
Two porcelain test pieces for Wedgwood pyrometer

Two porcelain test pieces for Wedgwood pyrometer

Two porcelain test pieces for Wedgwood pyrometer.

Materials:
porcelain
Object Number:
1927-1812 Pt3
type:
test pieces