polariscope
Date1872-1882
Inventory Number1997-1-1759
ClassificationPolariscope
Subject
Maker
W. Ladd & Company
fl. 1872 - 1882
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Dimensions18 × 16 × 15 cm (7 1/16 × 6 5/16 × 5 7/8 in.)
Material
DescriptionThe instrument consists of a polarizer (left side) and an analyzer (right side) made of birefrengent lenses, on which there is no graduated circle to determine the angle of polarization. Fixed on the left side is an adjustable sample holder that puts a crystal or any other transparent substance in between the polarizer and analyzer.
There is a white painted "o" on the base, which means it was used at Radcliffe College before being transferred to Harvard. There is also an old Harvard inventory number stamped on the base: "9 38".
There is a white painted "o" on the base, which means it was used at Radcliffe College before being transferred to Harvard. There is also an old Harvard inventory number stamped on the base: "9 38".
Signedon base: W. Ladd & Co.: / London
Curatorial RemarksThe firm called this instrument a Duboscq polariscope. See the Duboscq instrument on the following <a href="http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/trade-literature/scientific-instruments/files/51748/imagepages/image98.htm" target="_blank">website</a>.
FunctionThis instrument is used to look at the polarization of light. When light is polarized, only wavelengths of a determined orientation are passing through. By putting a crystal, liquid or any other transparent material in between the polarized light and the observer, the orientation of the light will be changed by a certain amount of degrees. The angular measurement of the rotated polarized light provides information about the structure of the material used in the experiment.
ProvenanceFrom Radcliffe College.
Ernst Leitz (company)
Date: 1950-1960
Accessories: carrying case; power cord
Object number: 1997-1-1084
Jean Baptiste François Soleil
Date: 1840-1860
Accessories: carrying case; objective; double refraction ocular; substage polarizer; rotating stage plate; horizontal case; stage forceps; oculars (2)
Object number: 1215
Ernst Leitz (company)
Date: 1950-1960
Accessories: carrying case
Object number: 2004-1-0375
Louis Jules Duboscq
Date: circa 1875
Object number: 1997-1-1477a
A. Nachet
Date: circa 1885
Accessories: Fixed (?) ocular with crosshairs; flip analyzer in tube; standard 11.5 x 0.45 mm objective No. 5 , but in sliding mount; substage polarizer; no case.
Object number: 1202
Ernst Leitz (company)
Date: circa 1948
Accessories: objectives (2): P3b A 0.40 16,5:1 C and P6L A 0.65 45:1; ocular "0"; polarizing condenser; analyzer; box with 14 older petrographic slides [1346b]; standing case
Object number: 1346a
Ernst Leitz (company)
Date: circa 1919
Accessories: oculars (2): 3, 8x; accessory box; Leitz objectives (5); wrenches (2); ground glass; N.A. 1.45 condensor cap; Abbe condensor; rotary stage; case
Object number: 1345