Beckmann thermometer
Date1890-1910
Inventory Number1998-1-0179
ClassificationThermometer
Subject
Maker
Eimer & Amend
1851 - 1940
User
Bowdoin College, Department of Physics
founded after 1794
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Place of Use
Dimensions1.7 x 54.4 x 1.7 cm (11/16 x 21 7/16 x 11/16 in.)
case: 3 x 54.4 x 3 cm (1 3/16 x 21 7/16 x 1 3/16 in.)
case: 3 x 54.4 x 3 cm (1 3/16 x 21 7/16 x 1 3/16 in.)
Material
Accessoriesbrown cardboard case
DescriptionA thermometer consisting of a narrow glass tube filled with mercury (currently very little) that has a bulb at its lower end, and an s-shaped top chamber. It is contained in a glass vessel with a brass cap. Its Corning milk glass scale is calibrated from -0° to 5.1° graduated to 1/100 of a degree.
Signedprinted on back of scale: EIMER & AMEND, NEW YORK . MADE IN U.S.A.
Inscribedprinted on back of scale: BECKMANN THERMOMETER 1/100 C
on instrument: CORNING NORMAL GLASS
on front of scale, italics: "a.B" [and] "No. 1173"
FunctionThis is a thermometer that the user can fill with different amounts of mercury to use at different temperature ranges. It is very precise but because of this it has a narrow range of 5.1 degrees (unknown scale, most likely Fahrenheit). To set it up for use, the thermometer would be placed in contact with a substance a few degrees above the upper required limit of temperature, and enough mercury would then be poured in so that the stem filled up to the s-bend. That way, the thermometer would have a range up to that temperature.
See also the following website.
See also the following website.
ProvenanceFrom the Department of Physics, Bowdoin College.
German
Date: 1900-1960
Accessories: wooden carrying case
Object number: 2003-1-0092
Fritz Köhler
Date: 1900-1940
Accessories: cardboard case
Object number: 2008-1-0101
American
Date: circa 1940
Accessories: black case
Object number: 1998-1-0380
Eimer & Amend
Date: 1900-1940
Accessories: green cardboard case with orange lining
Object number: 1998-1-0343
Corning
Date: 1900-1920
Accessories: black cardboard case with green inner surface
Object number: 4406
American
Date: 1890-1910
Accessories: cylindrical cardboard case with green inner surface
Object number: 4438
Robert Bötze
Date: 1880-1920
Accessories: brass cylindrical case with square flange near top
Object number: 4425
Dr. H. Geissler, Nachfolger Franz Müller
Date: 1890-1920
Accessories: black cardboard case with green inner surface
Object number: 4399
Dr. H. Geissler, Nachfolger Franz Müller
Date: 1890-1910
Accessories: green cardboard case
Object number: 4389
Dr. H. Geissler, Nachfolger Franz Müller
Date: 1890-1920
Accessories: black cardboard case with red inner surface
Object number: 4397