Abbe refractometer, Zeiss Model I
Datecirca 1915
Inventory Number1992-1-0001
ClassificationRefractometer
Subject
Maker
Carl Zeiss Jena
1904 - 1948
Maker
Carl Zeiss (company timeline)
founded 1846
User
Bowdoin College, Department of Physics
founded after 1794
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Place of Use
Dimensionsrefractometer: 29.5 × 14 × 14.5 cm (11 5/8 × 5 1/2 × 5 11/16 in.)
case: 36 x 21.5 x 16.8 cm (14 3/16 x 8 7/16 x 6 5/8 in.)
case: 36 x 21.5 x 16.8 cm (14 3/16 x 8 7/16 x 6 5/8 in.)
Material
Accessorieswood case; empty bottle for monobromnaphtalin; calibration glass plate ("Justierplättchen") of N/d = 1.5176; thermometer with scales "B" and "S"
Bibliography
DescriptionA circular base supports, on a fixed vertical column, an Abbe double prism that can be heated with circulating warm water. The rubber tube was used for water circulation within the double prism casing. The tube's open end should be attached to the connection just above the other one. The lower connection was used for introducing water into the system, the farther one for discharging it. The latter connection is linked with an opening to which was introduced a thermometer (see accessory) in order to calibrate the water temperature.
A pivoting arm above the double prism is equipped with a telescope tube. The refractive index of the substance introduced in the double prism encasing is measured off the graduated scale, read with the loupe. The loupe is actually fixed to an alidade that rotates the double prism on a horizontal axis. The telescope has a fine adjustment focus knob.
Illumination is provided by daylight, reflected on the pivoting mirror fixed on the base.
A pivoting arm above the double prism is equipped with a telescope tube. The refractive index of the substance introduced in the double prism encasing is measured off the graduated scale, read with the loupe. The loupe is actually fixed to an alidade that rotates the double prism on a horizontal axis. The telescope has a fine adjustment focus knob.
Illumination is provided by daylight, reflected on the pivoting mirror fixed on the base.
Signedon optical tube: Carl Zeiss / Jena
Curatorial RemarksThis model, with a circular base, was introduced in 1911. An original table of dispersion was put in the instrument's file in the CHSI library. The file also contains a Zeiss catalogue providing a detailed description of this instrument.
FunctionA refractometer is a precision instrument used to measure the index of refraction of liquid substances as well as the mean dispersion of fluid, plastic and solid bodies. For more information on how this particular type of refractometer was used, go to the following website.
ProvenanceFrom the Department of Physics, Bowdoin College.
Carl Zeiss, Optische Werkstätte, Jena
Date: circa 1900
Accessories: case; instruction manual (in instrument's file); key for case; calibration glass plate (Justierplättchen) N/d= 1.5177
Object number: 1996-1-0533
Carl Zeiss Jena
Date: circa 1926
Accessories: wooden box with two hook-and-eye latches to fasten front opening; in instrument file: instruction book (photocopy); Geissler tube labeled "H2"; carboard tube containing German thermometer C in stainless steel holder that screws into instrument; glass bottle with cork stopper labeled "Monobromnaphthalin, Germany nD=1 658"; small round cardboard box labeled "For Pulfrich Refractometer" containing one tubulure
Object number: 1996-1-0229
Carl Zeiss, Optische Werkstätte, Jena
Date: circa 1900
Accessories: case; tube adapters (2); graduated circle
Object number: 1996-1-0535
Bausch & Lomb Optical Company
Date: 1930-1940
Accessories: case; thermometer; immersion prisms (5); calibration cells (3); other prism
Object number: 1996-1-0682
John Cuthbertson
Date: 1770-1815
Accessories: brown storage box, descriptive tag, thin strip of paper in box with the inscription "lucernal microscope" in David P. Wheatland's handwriting (which refers to figs. 47-48 and 51 in this series), page from the book "Old Science and Medicine" with a photographic copy of the first print from this series, entitled "The Large Electric Machine at Haarlem."
Object number: 1998-1-1087
Carl Zeiss, Optische Werkstätte, Jena
Date: circa 1902
Accessories: oculars (5); objectives (5); microplanar objectives (2); iris diaphragm; abbe condenser; collars and sleeves for photography; parts box; Leitz object micrometer (1308b); cardioid condenser (1308d); immersion oil bottle (1308c) ; Leitz erecting prism (1308e); standing case with key
Object number: 1308a
Ernst Leitz (company)
Date: circa 1937
Accessories: standard eyepieces (3): 8X P, Periplan. OK 10X, and Periplan. Ok. 25X; wide eyepieces (3): 1, 1, 8X, 10X; objectives (4) in fitted case: 1b 4.3X, 3 10X, P7 62X, P 1/12 oel; waveplates (2); condenser with polarizer; mechanical stage; loupe 6x; box of cover glasses; standing case; key; objective adaptors (4); and watch keys (2)
Object number: 1999-1-0020a
Bausch & Lomb Optical Company
Date: circa 1920
Object number: 1996-1-0657
Adam Hilger Ltd.
Date: circa 1930
Object number: 1996-1-0675