Sikes hydrometer
Date1850
Inventory NumberDW0919
ClassificationHydrometer
Subject
Owner
F. C. Bridges
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Dimensionsinstrument: 16.2 × 3.7 × 3.7 cm (6 3/8 × 1 7/16 × 1 7/16 in.)
case: 6 × 20.5 × 9.9 cm (2 3/8 × 8 1/16 × 3 7/8 in.)
case: 6 × 20.5 × 9.9 cm (2 3/8 × 8 1/16 × 3 7/8 in.)
Material
Accessories1 Thermometer, 8 weights (9 originally present, 1 missing), 1 cap
DescriptionThe small, gilded brass instrument in the case is called a either a hydrometer or a float, and it was used to determine the strength, proof, and percentage of alcoholic spirits.
It consists of a spherical ball with two stems. The shorter one has a pointed weight at its end, making it sink when place in a liquid. The longer stem has an engraved scale going from 10 to 0 as one moves further from the ball. There are also 8 weights labeled 10-80 (plus a rectangular calibration cap)
The hydrometer is part of a kit that also includes a mercury-based thermometer made of glass with an ivory backing marked 30 to 110.
A red-satin-lined mahogany case with thick purple velveteen cushions protects all of the instrument parts.
It consists of a spherical ball with two stems. The shorter one has a pointed weight at its end, making it sink when place in a liquid. The longer stem has an engraved scale going from 10 to 0 as one moves further from the ball. There are also 8 weights labeled 10-80 (plus a rectangular calibration cap)
The hydrometer is part of a kit that also includes a mercury-based thermometer made of glass with an ivory backing marked 30 to 110.
A red-satin-lined mahogany case with thick purple velveteen cushions protects all of the instrument parts.
Signedon ivory plaque on case, below British Crest: SIKES'S HYDROMETER/ F.C. BRIDGES./ 4 KINGS ROAD/ SOUTHSEA
signed on side: F. C. BRIDGES SOUTH SEA
on thermometer scale : BRIDGES SOUTH SEA
Inscribedhydrometer is marked with a serial number in 2 places: 40917
weights are marked with numbers 10-80 and the matching serial number of the hydrometer, 40917
Curatorial RemarksThe British crest is present in many Sikes hydrometers and may indicate its official use.
FunctionThis was the legally required hydrometer for testing liquor proof strength in mid-19th century Britain.
A sample of liquor would be poured into a glass vase and its temperature measured with the provided thermometer. Then the hydrometer would be made to float in the sample, if necessary attaching to it one of the weights, for the water surface to mark a point on the scale.
The hydrometer is very precise with a total range from 0 to 100, a measurement determined by adding the weight attached to the bottom of the hydrometer to the number marked by the liquor's surface on the stem's scale.
Once the number had been determined, it would be used, together with the temperature, to find the proof strength using the slide rule or a published book of tables. (see references). More information on this instrument and its use is found on the following website.
A sample of liquor would be poured into a glass vase and its temperature measured with the provided thermometer. Then the hydrometer would be made to float in the sample, if necessary attaching to it one of the weights, for the water surface to mark a point on the scale.
The hydrometer is very precise with a total range from 0 to 100, a measurement determined by adding the weight attached to the bottom of the hydrometer to the number marked by the liquor's surface on the stem's scale.
Once the number had been determined, it would be used, together with the temperature, to find the proof strength using the slide rule or a published book of tables. (see references). More information on this instrument and its use is found on the following website.
ProvenanceDavid Wheatland purchased from F. & G. Staack, Camden, Maine, August 11, 1958.
English
Date: 1820-1850
Accessories: glass vase; thermometer with bone scale from 20° to 120°; weights (10); carrying case
Object number: DW0220
Thomas O'Dempsey Buss
Date: circa 1850
Accessories: weights (9); slide rule; thermometer; mahogany case; conversion tables book (Lib.4758, in library)
Object number: DW0222
Joseph C. Tucker
Date: circa 1825
Accessories: weights (10); slide rule; mahogany case
Object number: DW0499
John Dicas
Date: 1780-1810
Accessories: weights, key with an oval ivory tag
Object number: 0080
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
American
Date: 1820-1850
Accessories: wooden box with red fabric lining; extra weights
Object number: 1998-1-0270
German
Date: circa 1850
Accessories: cylindrical cardboard case with a pattern of brown and yellow flowers
Object number: DW0793
E. S. Ritchie & Sons
Date: 1867-1886
Object number: 1996-1-0354
J. S. F. Huddleston
Date: circa 1910
Accessories: Wooden case.
Object number: 2021-1-0010