Eötvös torsion balance by L. Oertling Ltd, 1925

Torsion balance with photographic recording, serial no. 20125, L. Oertling Ltd., London, UK, 1925. Used for geophysical prospecting through gravitational methods, the instrument is based on a design by Hungarian physicist Loránd Eötvös.

In many nations during and after WW1, geophysical prospecting was an active area of research, driven especially by the shift from coal energy to oil. Versions of Eötvös’s torsion balance were manufactured by several makers, including his collaborator Ferdinand Süss (ScM object 1920-809 is an example). At the time, L. Oertling Ltd. was the only British maker of this instrument design; the firm made 12 in total between 1923 and 1925, of which ten used photographic observation.

In the inter-war period, geophysical prospecting was seen to be crucial for the exploitation of resources in Britain’s imperial territories, and the perception of German dominance in this field—as for many areas of scientific and technological work—was a crucial concern.

For more information see:

Katharine Anderson (2019) 'An "experimental" instrument: testing the torsion balance in Britain, Canada and Australia', Annals of Science, 76:1, 58-86, DOI: 10.1080/00033790.2019.1578897

Barry J. Oliver (2020) Ludwig Oertling, balance maker: the man, his company and its products