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Babbage's Analytical Engine, 1834-1871. (Trial model)

Computing & Data Processing

1871

Portion of the mill of the Analytical Engine with printing mechanism, designed by Charles Babbage and under construction at the time of his death, London, 1834-1871.

Rover 'Safety' bicycle, 1885

Road Transport

1885

Rover safety bicycle of 1885. (First embodiment of the modern arrangement.) (Saddle re-made by Brooks in 1961).

Rotative steam engine by Boulton and Watt, 1788

Motive Power

1788

Boulton and Watt Rotative Beam Engine - the 'Lap' engine. This is the oldest essentially unaltered rotative engine in the world. Built by James Watt in 1788, it incorporates all of his most important steam-engine improvements. The engine was used at Matthew Boulton’s Soho Manufactory in Birmingham, where it drove 43 metal polishing (or ‘lapping’) machines for 70 years.

Electronic storm surge modelling machine

Oceanography

1960-2007

Electronic storm surge model, invented and constructed by Shizuo Ishiguro at the National Institute of Oceanography, Wormley, 1960-2007. The Electronic storm surge model is a depth-integrated single-layer two-dimensional electronic model based on hydrodynamic equations used to examine tidal surges, comprising three main units; a unit holding the input and output devices (Advance Instruments OS-240 oscilloscope, Commodore CBM 8032 Computer and Commodore 2031 5¼" floppy disk drive, and another two units (connected and wired together in a V formation) forming the mesh framework of the machine.

Queen Victoria's Saloon

Locomotives and Rolling Stock

1869

Railway carriage, London & North Western Railway, Queen Victoria's Saloon, built Wolverton Works, 1869.

Arkwright's Water Frame, 1775

Textiles Machinery

1775

Improved spinning machine (water frame), by Sir Richard Arkwright, England, 1775.

Alcock and Brown's Vickers Vimy biplane

Aeronautics

1919

Alcock and Brown's Vickers Vimy biplane.

Blackboard covered with Graffiti

Stephen Hawking Office

1980

Rectangular wooden blackboard densely inscribed with doodles made with chalk of varied colours. Drawings were made during the 1980 Nuffield Workshop in Cambridge (UK) on Superspace and Supergravity.

Prosthetic/artificial limbs for a nine year old child

Orthopaedics

1971

Prosthetic/artificial limbs for a nine year old child

'Jason I', de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth

Aeronautics

1928

De Havilland Gipsy moth Aeroplane 'Jason I', by De Havilland Aircraft Company, Brent, Greater London, United Kingdom, 1928. Used on historic flight of Miss Amy Johnson to Australia, May 1930, DH.60G, G-AAAH

William Thomson's Tide Predicting Machine, 1872

Geophysics

1872

Tide-predicting machine designed by William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin), built by A. Légé & Co., 20 Cross Street, Hatton Gardens, London, 1872. The machine is a mechanical analogue computer which traces the tidal curve for a given location, by combining ten astronomical components. It is the first working machine of Thomson’s design, based on his application of harmonic analysis to tidal phenomena.

Model of Wright Flyer

Aeronautics

1903

Model. Wright aeroplane, 1903, scale 1:10.

Sony 'Trinitron' colour television, 1969-1970

Radio Communication

1969-1970

Sony 'Trinitron' colour television set, model type KV-1320UB, manufactured by Sony, Japan, 1969-1970. Serial No. 505704

Liquid-filled plastic lens television magnifier, 1935-1965

Radio Communication

1935-1965

'Standlens' liquid-filled plastic lens for magnifying a television picture, mounted on adjustable wooden stand, probably made by Lumex, probably British, 1935-1965

Edison Kinetoscope

Cinematography

1894

Main part of Edison Kinetoscope. Invented by Edison's British employee, William Kennedy Laurie Dickson (1860 - 1935), this was the first device to show moving pictures. Painted in white on left side 'Dept II No 584'. Brass plaque on upper front inscribed 'No 509 / Edison Kinetoscope / Manufactured by Edison Mfg Co Orange / NJ USA'.

Railway Collecting Dog: "Laddie"

Miscellanea & Curiosities

1948

Railway Collecting Dog: "Laddie", stuffed Airedale Terrier in glass showcase with collecting box for London & South Western Railway Servants' Orphanage, ex Wimbledon Station.

'Puffing Billy' locomotive

Locomotives and Rolling Stock

1813-1814

Locomotive 'Puffing Billy'. Driving wheel diameter 3 feet 3 inches; cylinders 9 inches x 36 inches; working pressure 50lb; weight approximately 8 tons, exclusive of tender.

Bell transmitter with membrane diaphragm, 1875-1877

Telecommunications

1875-1877

Early type of Bell transmitter with membrane diaphragm, invented by Alexander Graham Bell, made by Charles Williams Jr,, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 1875-1914. This is an exact replica of Bell's first telephone made in June 1875 and was made by the same maker, Charles Williams Jr. of Boston, whose name is stamped on the baseboard.

Short Magazine Mark III Lee Enfield .303 rifle (deactivated)

Public Health & Hygiene

c. 1917

Short Magazine Mark III Lee Enfield bolt action rifle (deactivated), used in First World War, barrell length 731 mm / 28.7 in and calibre 7.65 mm / .303 in, by Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited, United Kingdom, 1917

Arkwright's Water Frame

Textile Industry

1775

Water frame, water powered spinning machine made by Richard Arkwright, Cromford, c.1775, and used at the Arkwright Mills at Matlock Bath.

Edison telephone, 1879

Telecommunications

1879

Wall telephone with Edison chalk receiver, unknown maker, probably United States, 1879.

Phillip's Economic Computer

Computing & Data Processing

1949

Phillips Economics Analog Computer, devised by Bill Phillips at the London School of Economics, 1949 known as MONIAC [Monetary National Income Analogue Computer]

Lumière Cinématographe

Cinematography

c. 1896

35mm Lumiere Cinematographe camera/printer/projector, serial number 254, with brass taking and projection lenses with Lumière thread, crank handle. Claw mechanism designed for Edison perforations, c.1896.

Rolls-Royce 10 hp, two cylinder motor car

Road Transport

1905

10 hp two-cylinder Rolls-Royce motor car, Reg. No. AX148; Chassis No. 20162; produced by Royce Ltd., Cooke Street, Hulme, Manchester, 1905.

Bell's harmonic telegraph receiver, 1925-1958

Telecommunications

1925-1958

Replica of Bell's 1875 harmonic telegraph receiver, made by Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc, Albany, New York, United States, 1925-1958

Early inhaler for ether anaesthesia

Anaesthesiology

1847-1848

Early inhaler for ether anaesthesia, ether bottle connected by tubing to face mask, by Weiss of London, 1847-1848

Replica of Daguerre-Giroux camera

Photographic Technology

1839 (original); c. 1988 (replica)

Replica of Daguerre-Giroux camera. Sliding box camera for daguerreotype plates up to 300x220cm. Plate holder replica of original in Museum of Science, Oxford. Achromat lens; sliding lens cover. Ex-Cromer Collection (donated April 1950). Stand is a modern replica by Science Museum workshop about 1988.

Cut-away model of the T.S. 'Olympic', 1910-1937

Water Transport

1910-1937

Cut-away model, scale 1:144, of the triple-screw passenger liner, the T.S. 'Olympic' (1910), with painted panel showing the inner compartments with passengers, made by Bassett-Lowke Limited, Northampton, Northamptonshire, England, 1910-1937

Quarter-plate `Cameo' camera used to take 'second phase' of Cottingley Fairies photographs, 1918-1920

Photographs

1915-1920

Quarter-plate `Cameo' camera manufactured by W Butcher & Sons, London, 1915-1920, used to make a `second phase' of `Cottingley fairies' photographs between 1918 and 1920. Lukos II symmetrical lens back, made by Wollensak Optical Co. of USA.

One of Fleming's first thermionic diode valves, 1889

Electronic Components

1889

Thermionic valve, one of three original examples, by Sir John Ambrose Fleming, London, England, 1904. This valve uses a lamp with a flat concertina wire filament, by Edison & Swan United Electric Company, London, England, 1889.

Molecular model of penicillin by Dorothy M Crowfoot Hodgkin, England, 1945

Biotechnology

1945

Penicillin; molecular model by Dorothy Hodgkin, ca. 1945.

Personal Computer, model Apple I

Computing & Data Processing

1976-1979

Personal Computer, model Apple I, devised by Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs and Ron Wayne, and made by Apple Inc, United States, 1976-1979.

Isaac Newton’s reflecting telescope (replica)

Astronomy

1668; 1924

Replica of Newton's first reflecting telescope made in 1668 and now in the possession of the Royal Society of London. Made for the Science Museum in 1924 by Mr F.L. Agate

Submerged repeater for TAT-1, 1956

Telecommunications

1956

Sectioned submerged repeater for TAT-1 the first transatlantic telephone cable, designed at the Post Office Research Station at Dollis Hill, made by Standard Telephones and Cables Limited, Woolwich, London, England, 1956

Flying shuttle

Textile Industry

1920-1960

Wooden flying shuttle with pirn of cotton yarn, c.1920 - 1960. From Elm Street Mill, Burnley. Engraved on one side: "Pilkington Limited Heywood", and on opposite side "659/ B-A).

Trough battery, 1801-1838

Electricity and Magnetism

1801-1838

Original Cruickshank's galvanic "Trough" or battery, made by R & G Knight, London, England, 1801-1838

'Midg' Camera Used to Make the First Two `Cottingley fairies' Photographs in 1917

Photographic Technology

1902-1917

Quarter-plate `Midg' camera manufactured by W Butcher & Sons, London, 1902-1920, used by Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths to make the first two `Cottingley fairies' photographs in 1917.

Ribbon loom with jacquard head

Textile Industry

c. 1900

Ribbon loom, made by T. F. Wilkinson & Co. Ltd, Coventry, c.1900. Fitted on the top with Jacquard head made by J. McMurdo Ltd, Manchester. Used at Cash's ribbon manufacturers in Coventry.

Kendrew's original model of the myoglobin molecule

Experimental Chemistry

1957

The original model of the myoglobin molecule, (the first ever to be made of protein molecule) constructed in plasticine in 1957 by Dr. J.C. (later Sir John) Kendrew; the contorted cylindrical shape, showing the track of polypeptide chain, is supported by wooden rods protruding from a pegboard base; an attached label reads "Medical Research/ Laboratory of Molecular Biology/Cambridge"; dimensions of base 18" x 1 1/2"; overall height 8 1/2"

"Lakeland Fotocol" Colouring Set

Photographic Technology

1960-1969

"Lakeland Fotocol" photographic colouring set by British Pens Limited, with an accompanying set of six twin colour pencils. The box opens to provide a portable easel and includes an instruction leaflet, coloured examples to follow and a black and white picture of a basket of kittens to colour. One photograph has been coloured, presumably by the previous owner.

Marine chronometer by John Arnold and Son, 1787-1799

Time Measurement

1787-1799

Two-day marine chronometer (No 63) by John Arnold and Son, Cornhill, London, 1787-1799.

Genoese medicine chest

Materia Medica & Pharmacology

1562-1566

Medicine chest, large, leather covered, probably made for Vincenzo Guistiniani, Genoese Governor of between 1562 and 1566

Section of a CB1 manual telephone exchange switchboard, 1925-1960

Telecommunications

1925-1960

Section of a CB1 manual telephone exchange switchboard with positions for three operators, unknown maker, British, 1925-1960. In use at Enfield Telephone Exchange 22 July 1925 to 5 October 1960

Three-valve radio receiver, 1922-1925

Radio Communication

1922-1925

Three-valve receiver used in a Derbyshire colliery test, unknown maker, Derby, England, 1922-1925. Ref. Wireless World 2/12/22 p.314

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

Bain's chemical telegraph, 1850.

Telecommunications

1850

Alexander Bain's chemical telegraph, unknown maker, England, 1850. Includes key not shown on photograph.

Kodak No 1 Camera

Photographic Technology

c. 1891

Kodak No 1 camera, manufactured by Eastman Kodak Co 1889 to1895. Box camera for factory loaded film, 100 exposures. 2 1/2" diameter / rapid rectilinear lens, fixed aperture and focus, sector type shutter, cocked by string, with attached lens plug. Serial No 10275 embossed in top and rear of camera body.

Double-dialled longcase clock from Park Green Mill

Time Measurement

1800-1820

Double dialled longcase clock from Park Green Mill, Macclesfield, made by E. Hartley, Macclesfield, c. 1810, includes clock and belts, pulleys and lineshafting.

Refracting telescope with achromatic lens, made by the Dollond family

Optics

1760-1775

Achromatic refracting telescope for terrestrial use, with an optical lens diameter of 1.4 inches, and focal length 30 inches, by Dollond, London, 1760-1775

replica of the first transistor, 1947-2003

Computing & Data Processing

1947-2003

Replica model of the first transistor, made by UKAEA Harwell, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom, 1947-2003.