Collection

Search our collection

Clear all filters
Image
Category
Collection
Maker
Object type
Place
Material
Date

Die-cast zinc-clad switchfuse "Radette" model

1950-1970

Ironclad switchfuse by Bill Switchgear

1920-1950

Digital voltmeter type LM 1010.2 serial no. 84261

1961-1975 (estimated)

Autobalance precision bridge type B331 Mk II

1966-1979

Image splitting eyepiece by Vickers

1960-1969

Ultraviolet spectroscope marked 'R & J . BECK . LTD. / LONDON / PATENT APPD FOR'

1918-1960

SEI Exposure Photometer

1960-1969

Moving iron ammeter, 100 amps, for d.c. measurements

1927

Metal pin

Large Thyratron type 4079 valve

Germanium diode type GP5C

1953

5 metal balls for heat demonstration

1880

Digital voltmeter type LM 902-2 serial no. 65286 by Solartron Laboratory Instruments Ltd.

1961-1975 (estimated)

Hartmann and Braun voltmeter no.10222 scaled 0-650V

1890

Micromanipulator, 1950-1956

1950-1959 (estimated)

Spark chamber section, a particle detector used with Nimrod, 1964-1978

1964-1978

'Pathological set' of twelve objective lenses

circa 1920-1939

Wheatstone No. 1 original rheostat, 1843

1843

Nalder Bros. & Thompson Ltd. "Ohmer" insulation tester no.1696

This differential controller was built by Harland Engineering Company Limited and installed at the Colthrop Board Mill in 1956 in Berkshire as part of a speed interlock sectional electric drive. This is one section out of eight which would have comprised the entire electric drive. This section is around 1250mm high, 1000mm long, and 900mm wide, and consists of a pair of controllers which would have connected to a central reference controller.

Harland differential controller

1956
Twin auto-feed micro-polisher used for polishing specimens for examination with a metallurgical microscope, comprising polishing disc assembly by E. W. Jackson & Son, Cheswold Works, Doncaster, with 2 micrometre and 6 micrometre discs each driven by a Gryphon electric motor by Brooke Motors Ltd, Huddersfield, estimated date 1950-1959, plus two Metaserv auto-pol sample holding arms by Metallurgical Services, Betchworth, Surrey, England, for mounting independently of the disc assembly and probably of later date.

Twin auto-feed micro-polisher used for polishing specimens for examination with a metallurgical microscope

1950-1959 (estimated)
Baltospot 140 x-ray machine by Balteau, Liège, Belgium, c.1964, comprising head unit, base and pillar, and control and timer unit, plus associated items (interconnecting boxes and wiring (incomplete), two illuminated warning signs, and purpose-built rotatable support for base an pillar)

Baltospot 140 x-ray machine by Balteau

1959-1969
Tone generator, 440 Hz, by Dancol Engineering Ltd., used in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, from 1967 to about 1998 to provide warning of the start of performances: the mechanism uses a metal gong struck by a hammer and fitted with a transducer connected to an amplifier.

Tone generator

1967
Sampling oscilloscope model 185A serial no. 120-00774 by Hewlett Packard, Palo Alto, California, with two captive probes, c. 1960, with two input channels each 10 - 200 mV/cm and timebase 10 - 100 millimicroseconds/cm plus X1 and X10 magnifier.

Sampling oscilloscope model 185A serial no. 120-00774 by Hewlett Packard

1955-1964 (estimated)
4 MeV electron linear accelerator built by D.W. Fry et al, c. 1948. Ancillary - equipment: IONISATION GAUGE CONTROL UNIT model 3. Made in England by Edwards High Vacuum Ltd., Crawley, Sussex.

4 MeV electron linear accelerator built by D.W. Fry et al

1947
Original time clock and time stamp from early 'pay-and-display' parking meter as designed by Major R A Youell and manufactured by the Universal Parking Meter Company Limited, Vale Road, Tonbridge, Kent, c. 1960-1980. With analogue dial. Front plate numbered L2731. Dial plate includes sticker saying 'as selected for the DESIGN CENTRE LONDON'.

Original time clock and time stamp from early 'pay-and-display' parking meter

1960-1980
Rado DiaStar 'Ceramica' quartz electronic wristwatch type no. 21348172, serial no. 2893578, case and bracelet in black scratch-proof ceramic, sapphire crystal, water resistant to 30 metres, in presentation case

Rado DiaStar 'Ceramica' quartz electronic wristwatch type no. 21348172

1998
Mef Universal Camera Microscope made in Vienna by Reichert with two boxes of accessories, probable date 1960-1969.

Mef Universal Camera Microscope made in Vienna by Reichert with two boxes of accessories

1960-1969
'Elite' epidiascope with transformer unit and with lenses and carriers for lantern slides and 35mm slides, 1950-59.

'Elite' epidiascope with transformer unit and with lenses and carriers for lantern slides and 35mm slides

1950-1959
Metallux metallographic (i.e. metallurgical) microscope by Leitz, Wetzlar, Germany, for use with top illumination of opaque specimens only, c. 1956, fitted with lamp housing for filament lamp, mechanical stage, quintuple revolving nosepiece with five Leitz objective lenses (5/0.9, 10/0.18, 20/0.35, 50/0.85 & 100/0/95), and binocular tube with Ernst Leitz Periplan 10X eyepieces for spectacle wearers; plus 6 V 5 A rated (6 A max.) transformer and fitted wooden case containing Normkam 6.5 cm by 9 cm camera attachment with focussing screen, viewing hood and cable release; two (ordinary) Periplan 10X eyepieces, four 78 mm square metal object slides, two ground glass, two blue glass and two green glass filters to fit the lamp housings (many accessories missing from the case)

Metallux metallographic microscope, Leitz

circa 1956
Mains-driven synchronous electric clock in bakelite case, not self-starting, made in England by the General Electric Co. Ltd., trade marked 'SEC Electric', 200/250 volts 50 Hz, English patent 2634/31, estimated date 1931-1939

Mains-driven synchronous electric clock in bakelite case

1931-1939
Objective mirror assembly for a reflecting microscope comprising large aspheric aluminised speculum metal primary mirror made by I. H. Ford on C. R. Burch's mirror figuring machine at Bristol (Inv. No. 1986-113), plus a small aluminised spherical mirror, made from part of a ball bearing, in a kinematically designed mount allowing backlash-free adjustment of the primary mirror in the x and y directions and the secondary mirror in the z direction, made between about 1954 and 1964. Also an engineering drawing of the assembly.

Objective mirror assembly for a reflecting microscope

1954-1964
Fifteen metal samples (ten elements, three alloys) each in a pill box all contained in a fitted mahogany case, for flame tests for spectroscopic examination.

Fifteen metal samples

1875-1924 (estimated)
'Battery Manager Ultra', a battery charger designed for recharging alkaline (primary) batteries but also for zinc chloride (primary) batteries and Nickel-Cadmium, Alkaline and Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable types, with plug-in power unit, in original packaging marked Innovations International Ltd., Richmond, Surrey, supplied by Maplin Electronics Ltd, date 1999-2000.

'Battery Manager Ultra'

1999-2000
Photo-emission electron microscope type KE3 made by Balzers of Balzers, Liechtenstein (not Lichtenstein), probably in 1974.

Photo-emission electron microscope type KE3 made by Balzers of Balzers

1974
Counter for low-level alpha radiation used at the British Museum Department of Scientific Research for measuring the radiation level of surrounding soil when calculating thermoluminescence dates of samples, estimated date 1970-1979, comprising counter unit probably by the Littlemore Scientific Engineering Co., plus a Brandenberg model 2475R photomultiplier power supply mounted in one housing, and a photomultiplier tube unit.

Counter for low-level alpha radiation used at the British Museum Department of Scientific Research

1970-1979 (estimated)
Environmental chamber by Laboratory Thermal Equipment Ltd., Greenfield, near Oldham, Manchester, England, serial no. 33585 (a thermally insulated, humidity conditioned chamber with trays for samples, glazed inner door and heavy outer door), mounted on a metal frame base, with a 'Xactline' two-channel temperature recorder for Pt/PtRh thermocouples type 7052/1 serial no 2179FB by Pye Ether Ltd., Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England, on top (possibly modified), 1971-1980.

Environmental chamber by Laboratory Thermal Equipment Ltd.

1971-1980
Automatic precision resistance A.C. double bridge type A6 with six decade swiches, made by Automatic Systems Laboratories [ASL], Leighton Buzzard, Beds., c.1980.

Automatic precision resistance A.C. double bridge type A6 with six decade swiches

1980-1984
Vickers M55 microscope Serial No. M550241 Regd. No. 900267 Patent Nos. 936184, 904280 & 911827, by Vickers Instruments Ltd, intended primarily for incident light use with metallurgical specimens using either an eyepiece or zoom projection on to an integral screen, with integral xenon lamp illuminator unit, mounted on special desk incorporating the power supply unit, with accessories in desk drawers.

Vickers M55 microscope Serial No. M550241 Regd. No. 900267 Patent Nos. 936184

1965-1974
Precision ratio comparison bridge type VLF51A, by Rosemount Engineering Company Limited, Bognor Regis, Sussex, England, c.1980, with terminal unit model CSU A1.

Precision ratio comparison bridge type VLF51A

1976-1985
Micro-hardness tester accessory for a Vickers M55 microscope made by Vickers Instruments Ltd, York, England, probable date 1965-1974, comprising transmitter no. M06628, triple objective lens turret fitted with micro-indenter no. K886 and Vickers M.H.T. objective no. N1702 (one socket empty), 10X centring micrometer eyepiece, reference sample marked 'stainless steel / squares = 0.1MM', a cable and four other parts, all in a fitted plywood case with handle, locking clips and two keys.

Micro-hardness tester accessory for a Vickers M55 microscope made by Vickers Instruments Ltd

1965-1974 (estimated)
Control unit for a Mark 1 scanning tunneling microscope by WA Technology, such as Inv. No. 1989-576, with preamplifier and monitor boxes and various cables, dating from 1985 to 1994.

Control unit for a Mark 1 scanning tunneling microscope by WA Technology

1985-1994
Swatch Skin Watch quartz electronic wristwatch

Swatch Skin Watch quartz electronic wristwatch

1998
Wristwatch with quartz crystal controlled movement and digital light emitting diode display, serial no. 95077, made by Solidev Ltd., New York, USA, unused, in original case and box, c.1971

Solidev quartz-controlled wristwatch with LED display, c. 1971

circa 1971
Wind MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) controller, type WX5, made by Yamaha Corporation, Electronic Musical Instrument Division, 1999, complete with soft case, power supply, strap, instruction manual, and output connector.

Electronic clarinet with case, components and instructions

1999
Nikon Microflex Model AFM automatic microphotographic attachment for a microscope, comprising M-35S dark box (camera body) serial no. 88697 for 35mm film; Lieca type mount, 35mm projection lens, shutter unit, ocular viewfinder and standard eyepiece adapter all assembled into one unit; in a fitted leatherette case; plus electronic control box and connecting cable.

Nikon AFM microscope camera, c.1975

1970-1979
Scientific stereoscope for use on desk or bench top by Carl Zeiss Jena, Nr. 5284, and 14 (plus one duplicate) out of a set of 20 stereographs, post-1908

Scientific stereoscope for use on desk or bench top by Carl Zeiss Jena

1908-1914 (estimated)
'Pathological set' of twelve objective lenses and brass control knob, each lens with a known defect, in fitted box, with separate telescope, all by Cooke, Troughton & Simms Ltd, for demonstrating the effects of imperfect lenses, probably c. 1920-1939. Also three home-made 'artificial stars' consisting of ball bearings mounted on rods on a wooden base. (One lens cracked.)

objective lenses and control knob

circa 1920-1939
COS-B satellite, 1:6 scale model

Model of COS-B Satellite, 1975

1975 (original)