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Albarello drug jar for Golden Ointment, Italy, 1571-1630

Medical Ceramic-ware

1571-1630

Tin-glazed earthenware albarello, polychrome decoration, labelled "Ungty aureu", Italian, 1571-1630

Napier's bones

Mathematics

1601-1700

Napier's bones, brass, eleven pieces, in gold stamped leather case, with a short manuscript description in the case

Statue of St Antonino of Florence, Italy, 1470-1500

Classical & Medieval Medicine

1470-1500 CE

Statue of Saint Antonino of Florence, earthenware, ? Italian, late 15th century

Simple theodolite, German, c. 1596

Surveying

c. 1596

Small simple theodolite with fixed and moveable sights, German, c. 1596. The degree scale within the compass enables measurements of bearings, and the one on the base plate measures angles of elevation.

Rubber ball from Peruvian child's grave, c. 1600.

Plastics and Modern Materials

1590-1610

Rubber ball from Peruvian child's grave (reputed to be over 300 years old)

Touchpiece issued by Henry VIII, England, 1509-1547

Ethnography and Folk Medicine

1509-1547

Gold angel, issued as a touchpiece in the ceremony of healing by touch, design indicates 1st coinage, possible castle mint mark, issued by Henry VIII, 1509-1547

John Seller's 'Sea Gunner's Rule' 1695

Mathematics

1695

John Seller's 'Sea Gunner's Rule' 1695. Signed `Thomas Brookes 1695'

Female alms box figure from Bethlem Hospital, England, 1671-1681

Psychology, Psychiatry & Anthropometry

1671-1681

Female almsbox figure from Bethlem Hospital ("Bedlam"), 1676(?)

Circular averdupois weight

Weighing & Measuring

1588

One of two flat circular bronze Avoirdupois weights, 4lb, marked E, ex-centrically, 1588.

Bullet extractor, Europe, 1501-1600

Surgery

1501-1600

Bullet extractor, 16th century, steel and brass

Wooden male anatomical figure, Europe, 1601-1700

Anatomy & Pathology

1601-1700

Wooden anatomical figure, male, possibly 17th century

Two pieces of cinchona bark, South America, 1601-1700

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1601-1700

3 small pieces of cinchona bark, once in a replica of 17th century box from the Pharmacie della Scala, Rome, bark apparently original, seventeenth century

Night clock with painted landscape on dial and pai

Time Measurement

1675-1685

Night clock with painted landscape on dial and painted angels that turn with movement, by Joseph Knibb, London, England, 1675-1685.

Exchequer standard gallon measure of Queen Elizabeth I, 1601

Weighing & Measuring

1601

Bronze Exchequer Standard Winchester Gallon Measure, dated 1601. One of a series issued to 60 cities in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Albarello drug jar, Sicily, 1629

Medical Ceramic-ware

1629

Tin-glazed earthenware drug jar, polychrome decoration, from Sicily, 1629

Albarello drug jar for horse fat, Italy, 1620

Medical Ceramic-ware

1620

Tin-glazed earthenware albarello, polychrome used for horse fat, possibly Castel Durante, Italian, 1620

Glass bottle featuring pictures of saints

Medical Glass-ware

1667

Glass bottle, rectangular with stopper covered in gold fabric, highly decorated with pictures of saints painted on three sides.

Posset pot, England, 1651

Nursing & Hospital Furnishings

1651

Posset pot, tin glazed earthenware, with monogram and date, English, 1651

Memorial stele to the doorkeepr Ruma

Classical & Medieval Medicine

2000-1001 BCE

Memorial stele to the doorkeepr Ruma, showing his withered right leg, plaster copy of Egyptian original, 2000-1001BC. Made in Dantes Plad in Copenhagen (Denmark).

Plaster model made in 1940 of distillation apparat

Pharmacy-ware

1540-1580

Plaster model made in 1940 of distillation apparatus used in France c. 1560, made by Wellcome Institute workshops, Willesden, London

Driving weights and counterweight from balance-wheel brass lantern clock

Time Measurement

1645-1655

Two driving weights and one counterweight for the Balance-wheel brass lantern clock, by Thomas Knifton, Cross Keys, Lothbury, London, England, 1645-1655.

Lump of blue frit

Glass Technology

1550 BCE

Lump of ancient Egyptian blue frit; found in Theban necropolis beginning of XVIIIth dynasty

Statue of Saint Lubin, wood, French

Classical & Medieval Medicine

1601-1700

Statue of Saint Lubin, wood, French, 17th century ?

Verge watch by Johannes van Ceulen of the Hague, 1690-1700.

Time Measurement

1690-1700.

Verge watch in silver pair case by Johannes van Ceulen of the Hague, 1690-1700.

Charles Cotterell's `Instrument for Arithmeticke'

Mathematics

1677

Charles Cotterell's `Instrument for Arithmeticke' by Robert Jole, 1677. With two brass closure fixings, brass pointer, and two vellum parts

French alarm pocket watch

Time Measurement

1601-1700

French oval alarm pocket watch, by André Pichon, Lyons, France, 1601-1700.

Bronze plaque, Italy, 1655-1667

Classical & Medieval Medicine

1655-1667

Bronze plaque set up to celebrate the extinction of the plague in Rome, by Pope Alexander VII, Italian, 1655-1667

Bow frame amputation saw, Europe, 1575-1585

Surgery

1575-1585

Bow frame amputation saw, with ornate handle terminating in griffin's head, Italian, from the Museo del Palazzo Borvansati, Florence, c. 1580

Storage jar with a portrait of St Lawrence, Italy, 1501-1600

Medical Ceramic-ware

1501-1600

Tin glazed earthenware pharmacy storage jar, portrait of St. Lawrence, made at Venice, Italian, 1501-1600

Lead mortuary crosses, England, 1300s and 1600s

Classical & Medieval Medicine

1601-1700

Lead cross, replica of one taken from the graves of victims of the plague in London, original 17th century

Square pavement brick from Babylonia (Southern Iraq), 2nd millennium BC.

Building Construction

2000-1001 BCE

Square pavement brick from Babylonia (Southern Iraq), 2nd millennium BC

Eyepiece, 6-inch focal length, from Huygen's aerial telescope

Astronomy

1686-1691

Eyepiece, 6-inch focal length with wooden handle, component for Huygen's 210-Foot aerial telescope

Italian celestial globe, 1636

Astronomy

1636

Celestial globe, by Matthaus Greuter, Rome, diameter 20 inches

Latten spoon with cone knop, 14th or 15th century

Classical & Medieval Medicine

1301-1500 CE

Latten spoon with cone knop, 14th or 15th century

6" Universal Ring Dial, engraved "Hilkiah Bedford

Time Measurement

1656-1680

6" Universal Ring Dial, engraved "Hilkiah Bedford in Fleet Street near Fetter Lane End"

Model of treadmill at Carisbrooke Castle

Motive Power

c. 1588

model, scale 1:2, treadmill constructed in the 16th century at Carisbrooke Castle to raise well water, Isle of Wight, also model donkey

Octagonal ivory Sundial, C. Bloud a Dieppe (cracke

Time Measurement

1653-1680

Octagonal ivory Sundial, C. Bloud a Dieppe (cracked)

Amputation saws and bullet extractors, 16th-18th century.

Surgery

1501-1600

Bullet extractor, 16th century, steel and brass

Reconstruction of Robert Hooke's Deep Sea Thermometer, 1686-96

Oceanography

1686-1696

Reconstruction of Robert Hooke's deep-sea thermometer, 1686-96.

Reconstruction of Robert Hooke's Deep Sea Sounder, 1685-95

Oceanography

1685-1695 (original)

Reconstruction of Robert Hooke's Deep Sea Sounder of 1685-95.

Syrup jar for Syrup of Roses, Faenza, Italy, 1571-1600

Medical Ceramic-ware

1571-1600

Albarello vase, Italian, C16 from Faenza, polychrome maiolica, used for laxative rose syrup, fine example

Cinchona bark, Europe, 1601-1700

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1601-1700

Single piece of cinchona bark, once in a replica of a 17th century box from the Pharmacie della Scala, Rome, bark apparently original, seventeenth century

Syrup jar used for Scabious Water, Italy, 1648

Medical Ceramic-ware

1648

Syrup jug, Italian from Deruta in 1648, fine polychrome maiolica, used for scabwort water

Steel codpiece, European, 16th century.

Classical & Medieval Medicine

1501-1600

Iron cod-piece to be worn with armour, unsigned, probably European, 1501-1600.

Pharmacy vase, Italy, 1530-1680

Medical Ceramic-ware

1530-1680

Decorative vase, Italian from Deruta, late C16 or early C17 polychrome maolica, showing heads of Filumena and Ruccieri.

"Base Ring" juglet, with handle, earthenware

Classical & Medieval Medicine

1600-1400 BCE

"Base Ring" juglet, with handle, earthenware with black slip decoration and relief band round neck, from Cyprus, 1600 BC-1400 BC

Figure of a man in a coffin, Italy, 1501-1600

Ethnography and Folk Medicine

1501-1600

Wooden statue, carved of a dead man, in miniature coffin, Italian, 16th century

Brass mortar inscribed "..LETTE VERWINT AL..DINCK

Experimental Chemistry

1536

Brass mortar inscribed "..LETTE VERWINT AL..DINCK ANNO 1536"

Bronze forceps, spoon, elevetor and cautery, 200 BC-1600 AD.

Classical & Medieval Medicine

500-1600

Forceps, bronze, with arrow-head tips, repaired, medieval (?) 500-1600

Instrument case, England, 1650-1700

Surgery

1650-1700

Silver mounted shagreen instrument case with initials ZC and arms of Barber-Surgeons' Company, probably English, 1650-1700