Alarm clock, mounted on model of coffin

Anatomy & Pathology

1840-1900

Alarm clock, mounted on model of coffin with skeleton, probably English, 1840-1900

replica of Bell's 1876 centennial telephone transmitter, 1959

Telecommunications

1959

Replica of Bell's 1876 'Centennial' telephone transmitter, made by Science Museum Workshops, South Kensington, London, England, 1959

Amulet and charm to protect against plague

Ethnography and Folk Medicine

1690-1710

Amulet and charm to protect against plague, printed Latin charm on which is pasted rectangular composite amulet with 4 metal pendants affixed, all backed with patterned paper and folded into rectangular packet, Bavaria, German, 1690-1710

Wax model of a female human head, Germany, 1801-1900

Anatomy & Pathology

1801-1900

Wax model of female human head showing internal structure of skull, eye and face muscles, German(?), 19th century

Cylindrical glass bottle of quinine sulphate

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

Cylindrical glass bottle with cork stopper and sealed with red wax, contains quinine sulphate, by Howard and Sons English, 1860-1910

Waxed post-mortem thread

Surgery

c.2016

Waxed post-mortem thread, used by pathologists to sew up the body after post mortem, collected from the Department of Cellular Pathology at the John Radcliffe Hospital, 2016.

Replica of Soemmerring's telegraph of 1809-12, 1964

Telecommunications

1964

Replica of Sömmerring's telegraph of 1809-12, made by the Science Museum Workshops, South Kensington, London, England, 1964

Experimental carbon block microphone, 1878-1890

Telecommunications

1878-1890

Experimental microphone having two carbon blocks contained in a glass tube and pressed together by a spring, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1878-1890

Mirror galvanometer for the transatlantic telegraph, 1858

Electricity and Magnetism

1858

Mirror galvanometer invented by Lord Kelvin and used at the Newfoundland end of the 1858 transatlantic cable, made by James White, Glasgow, Scotland, 1858.

'Santa Medicina' sculpture by Eleanor Crook

Eleanor Crook

2019

Bronze, waxwork and glass sculpture by Eleanor Crook entitled 'Santa Medicina'. Commissioned by the Science Museum for the 'Faith, Hope and Fear' gallery in Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries. The bronze female figure holds a scalpel and scissors. Her hair is looped onto her head, crowned with a surgeon's mirror. Open down the back to reveal écorché muscles, her dress appears like an operating gown, the skirts encrusted with amulets. The skirts shelter a fragile waxwork figure in a glass case resembling a reliquary, encased in glass, under a blanket covered with symbolic pins, and surrounded by flickering candles.

Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable, deep sea type, 1956

Telecommunications

1956

Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable, deep-sea type, made by Submarine Cables Limited, Erith, London, England, 1956.

Wax portrait of Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy (1780 – 1854)

Clockmakers

1851

Wax portrait of Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy (1780-1854) by Richard Cockle Lucas 1851

Experimental carbon pencil microphone, 1878-1890

Telecommunications

1878-1890

Experimental microphone consisting of two carbon pencils having knife edges in contact, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1878-1890

Experimental microphone using steel needles and gas carbon, 1878-1890

Telecommunications

1878-1890

One experimental microphone consisting of steel needles suspended in contact with blocks of gas carbon, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1878-1890

Uterus, showing placenta, cervix etc. from wax anatomical figure

Anatomy & Pathology

1771-1800

Uterus, showing placenta, cervix etc. from wax anatomical figure of reclining woman, Florence, Italy, 1771-1800.

Experimental microphone, 1878-1890

Telecommunications

1878-1890

One experimental microphone consisting of one gas carbon pencil hanging horizontally in contact with one vertical gas carbon pencil, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1878-1890

Clockwork interruptor, once owned by David Hughes, 1875-1880

Radio Communication

1875-1880

Clockwork interruptor made and used by David Edward Hughes (1831-1900), England, c. 1879

Receiving ‘jigger’ used by the Marconi Company, 1898

Radio Communication

1898

Receiving ‘jigger’ or oscillation transformer, single layer primary and secondary coils (split), used by the Marconi Company, probably made by Marconi's Wireless Telegraphy Company, Chelmsford, Essex, England, 1898

powdered graphite microphone, 1878-1890

Telecommunications

1878-1890

Microphone consisting of small tube filled with (apparently) powdered graphite, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1878-1890

Powdered graphite microphone, 1878-1890

Telecommunications

1878-1890

Microphone consisting of two small tubes filled with (apparently) powdered graphite, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1878-1890

Sinclair line selector automatic switch board, 1880-1890

Telecommunications

1880-1890

Sinclair line selector automatic switch board (glass broken and incomplete), patented by David Sinclair, probably made by the National Telephone Company, British, 1880-1890

aerial inductances, 1901

Radio Communication

1901

Four aerial inductances, wired together, used in Newfoundland in series with the balloon and kite aerials for tuning to the Poldhu (Cornwall) transmitted wavelength for the first wireless communication across the Atlantic, probably made by Marconi's Wireless Telegraphy Company, Chelmsford, Essex, England, December 1901

Powdered graphite microphone, 1878-1890

Telecommunications

1878-1890

Microphone consisting of small tube filled with (apparently) powdered graphite with means for adjusting contact pressure of the particles, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1878-1890

Galvanometer from prototype Cox selenium-cell magnifier equipment, 1910-1920

Telecommunications

1910-1920

Galvanometer from prototype Cox selenium-cell magnifier equipment, possibly made by Kenwrick Cecil Cox, 1910-1920

Wax portrait of George Atkins (1766 – 1855) by Richard Cockle Lucas

Clockmakers

1852

Wax portrait of George Atkins (1766 – 1855) by Richard Cockle Lucas, London, 1852.

Hertzian receiving resonator, 1890-1894

Radio Communication

1890-1894

Hertzian receiving resonator, probably made by E E Robinson, England, 1890-1894. Used by Oliver Lodge.

Cell used in interruptor circuit, 1875-1890

Telecommunications

1875-1890

Small cell (rectangular), probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1875-1890

Granular microphone in bamboo tube, 1878-1890

Telecommunications

1878-1890

Granular microphone in bamboo tube, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1878-1890

Granular microphone in glass tube, 1878-1890

Telecommunications

1878-1890

Granular microphone in glass tube, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1878-1890

‘Medico-Electrical Machine’ by Nairne and Blunt

Electricity and Magnetism

1782-1793

Cylinder ‘Medico-Electrical Machine’, made by Edward Nairne and Thomas Blunt, with Leyden jars contained within two tin-plate prime conductors; original and complete. Based on Nairne's patented design of 1782. Used by Michael Faraday at the Royal Institution, and depicted in Harriet Moore's 1850s watercolours of Faraday in his laboratory.

Experimental microphones with carbon pencils and cups, 1878-1890

Telecommunications

1878-1890

Three experimental microphones consisting of carbon pencils resting in carbon cups, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1878-1890.

Intestines from wax anatomical figure of reclining woman

Anatomy & Pathology

1771-1800

Intestines from wax anatomical figure of reclining woman, Florence, Italy, 1771-1800

Wax vanitas, Europe, 1701-1800

Anatomy & Pathology

1701-1800

Wax model of a female head depicting life and death, European, possibly 18th century

Poured wax doll,with head turned to one side; inse

Materials Science Gallery

c. 1900

Poured wax doll,with head turned to one side; inset,large vivid blue glass eyes with inserted lashes, well shaped lips, eyebrows and long brown curled wig, on a fabric body with wax lower limbs, in a white lace trimmed gown.

'Asthore (Duet)' phonograph cylinder

Sound Reproduction

Phonograph cylinder; 'Asthore (Duet)' by Cadman and Dawson; numbered 13420

'My Country Tis of Thee' phonograph cylinder

Sound Reproduction

Phonograph cylinder; 'My Country Tis of Thee' by Edison Male Quartet; numbered 8410

Front part of lungs from wax anatomical figure of reclining woman

Anatomy & Pathology

1771-1800

Front part of lungs from wax anatomical figure of reclining woman, Florence, Italy, 1771-1800.

Stomach from wax anatomical figure

Anatomy & Pathology

1771-1800

Stomach from wax anatomical figure of reclining woman, Florence, Italy, 1771-1800.

Capacitor used in the development of the 'Baby' computer

Computing & Data Processing

1948

Capacitor with two crocodile clips, assembled by Geoff Tootill in Manchester, 1948, and used for testing during the development of the 'Baby' computer or Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine. Accompanied by a handwritten note explaining that Geoff found it in the pocket of one of his brown lab coats.

Filings coherer, glass tube bent into U-shape at one end with bulb to form side-pocket on mounting bracket with terminals, 1894-1904

Radio Communication

1894-1904

Filings coherer, glass tube bent into U-shape at one end with bulb to form side-pocket on mounting bracket with terminals, designed or used by Sir Oliver Lodge, England, 1894-1904

Cylindrical glass bottle containing cinchonidine

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

Cylindrical glass bottle, cork stopper sealed with red wax, contains cinchonidine sulphate by Howards and Sons as prepared for the Indian Government Commission, English, 1860-1910

Amuletic loadstone with scalloped metal mounts

Ethnography and Folk Medicine

1551-1700

Small loadstone with scalloped metal mounts, bound with string, with ring for suspending, amuletic, English, 1551-1700

Sinew with muscle covering from wax anatomical figure

Anatomy & Pathology

1771-1800

Sinew with muscle covering from torso of wax anatomical figure of reclining woman, Florence, Italy, 1771-1800.

Filings coherer, glass tube capped at ends, 1894-1904

Radio Communication

1894-1904

Filings coherer, glass tube, capped at ends, designed or used by Sir Oliver Lodge. England, 1894-1904.

'Safe in the Arms of Jesus' phonograph cylinder

Sound Reproduction

Phonograph cylinder; 'Safe in the Arms of Jesus'; numbered 1539

De Forest syntoniser, 1902-1907

Radio Communication

1902-1907

De Forest Syntonizer, probably made by the American DeForest Wireless Telegraph Company, Maine, United States, 1902-1907

Front side of right kidney

Anatomy & Pathology

1771-1800

Front side of right kidney showing internal structure from wax anatomical figure of reclining woman, Florence, Italy, 1771-1800.

Front wall of right side of heart from wax anatomical figure

Anatomy & Pathology

1771-1800

Front wall of right side of heart from wax anatomical figure of reclining woman, Florence, Italy, 1771-1800.

Pancreas from wax anatomical figure of reclining woman

Anatomy & Pathology

1771-1800

Pancreas from wax anatomical figure of reclining woman, Florence, Italy, 1771-1800.

'Killarney' phonograph cylinder

Sound Reproduction

Phonograph cylinder; 'Killarney'; numbered 9081