Leyden jar
Date1750-1800
Inventory Number1998-1-0091
ClassificationLeyden Jar
Subject
Maker
English
Cultural Region
Dimensions56 x 24.5 cm (22 1/16 x 9 5/8 in.)
Material
DescriptionLined with thin sheets of lead on the outside and inside walls, this Leiden jar has red paint on the outer surface of neck and a wooden lid penetrated by a brass electrode. The inside part of the lid is also covered with a thin layer of lead and is fitted with cork for a tighter fit. The jar has approximately a seven gallon capacity.
In Collection(s)
Signedunsigned
FunctionThe Leiden jar, invented in the first half of the eighteenth century, is nothing else than a condenser. It accumulates electricity from an electrostatic machine, and then delivers it progressively or at all once, producing a great electrical shock. Scientific experiments were done with it, as well as spectacular demonstrations in salons and at the court, where hundreds of soldiers and monks holding hands, for instance, were shocked all at once.
