Skip to content
History of Science Museum

Chemical Balance, English, Mid-19th Century

Inventory Number 17549


Acknowledgement: © History of Science Museum, University of Oxford, inv.17549

Subject
Chemistry
Item type
Object
Primary inscriptions
Unsigned and undated
Dimensions
Height: 342mm Width: 400mm Weight: 3631g
Inventory No
17549

Description

Chemical balance in glazed wooden case with sliding front.

Even though balance became increasungly important in the study of chemistry during the 18th century, the first manufacturer of precision balances was Thomas Charles Robinson in about 1820. In this balance from the mid-19th century, improvements in the beams suspension have been offset by the crude 'swan-neck' beam ends.