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Of elongated form with an arched one-piece silvered brass plate
inscribed "Adams, Fleet Street, London," above slender trunk with
molded edges and exposed brass-capped tube terminating in a
molded girdled semi-hemisphere cistern cover, the plate with a manual 27 to 31
inch vernier
sliding scale and thermometer.
Condition: Excellent and in good working condition; nice engraving
and patination; the glass mercury tube possibly an old replacement
36 ½ ” High x 4 ½ ” Wide
GEORGE ADAMS JR.:
Succeeding his
father as Instrument Maker to His Majesty King George III in
1773, he was also later designated Optician to the Prince of
Wales. He was considered one of the finest instrument makers of
the 18th century. The quality of the timber, moldings, and cabinetry
in general are of the finest. Features as the geared hygrometer (to
measure humidity), brass door catch, and beautifully engraved and
annotated scales are typical of
his products.
George Adams, Jr., was born in Southampton in 1750. His father,
George Adams, Sr., was one of the most important English instrument
makers in the second half of the eighteenth century. The senior
Adams published a popular work, "Micrographia Illustrata"
(1746), and introduced a number of improvements in microscope
design. George Adams, Sr. also made many other scientific
instruments. After George Sr.'s death in 1773, the company he
founded was managed by his sons, George Jr. and his younger brother
Dudley. George Adams, Jr., was a leading maker of mathematical
instruments.
He was instrument-maker to George III and optician to
the Prince of Wales. King George III awarded him an annual sum of
money and Adams taught several others in the art of instrument
making.
Adams was the author of a large number of elementary scientific
works, which according to a writer in the "British Critic," were so
planned as 'to comprise a regular and systematic instruction in the
most important branches of natural science with all its modern
improvements." He also wrote largely on the use of mathematical
instruments, and his books on that subject were highly valued. In
many of his published works he combined a religious with a
scientific aim, and 'applied all his knowledge,' says the
'Gentleman's Magazine,' 'to the best of purposes-to combat the
growing errors of materialism, infidelity, and anarchy'. Adams
published a wide range of works on various scientific topics,
including "Essay on Electricity" (1784), "Essays on the Microscope"
(1787), "Astronomical and Geographical Essays" (1789), "Essay on
Vision" (1789) "Geometrical and Graphical Essays" (1791), "Lectures
on Natural and Experimental Philosophy" (1794).
SOLD
#5737
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