Humboldt State University ® Department of Chemistry

Robert A. Paselk Scientific Instrument Museum

Humboldt State College, the Early Period: 1935-53

Instruments and Apparatus

Information regarding the instruments is available via the table in three formats: photographs of the instruments; text describing the usage/history of each instrument and appearance, condition etc. for each device, and scanned vendor's catalog descriptions of the instruments (when available). Additional information for select instruments is also provided via links to the text accessed in the center column. Thus early and/or contemporary instructions on usage, histories of manufacturers, etc. may be provided. Download sizes for photographs and scans are shown in parenthesis under each thumbnail.

Instruments by Measurement or Function

• Chemistry: Centrifuge, Table-top (1940), Dubosc Colorimeter, (c. 1940), Polarimeter (1953),  Refractometer (1920), Refractometer (1953), Thermometer, Beckmann (c 1940).
• Electricity and Magnetism: Condenser, Variable Air (c 1950), Resistance Box (1950), Zeleny Electroscope (1950).
• Light and Optics: Microscope, Polarizing (1952), Microscope, Leitz Wide Field Binocular, (c.1935), Microscope, B&L Wide Field Binocular (c.1940)
• Weights and Measures: Analytical Balance (1948), Analytical Balance, Chain (1952), Analytical Balance Weights (c 1950).

Photoimage of Instrument Instrument /Vendor's Catalog   Vendor's Description (98k) Refractometer Carl Zeiss (1920; HSC c. 1938)   Eimer and Amend Catalog AA (1920) (76k)   (66k)   Refractometer AO Spencer (HSC 1953)   Adolph Frese Corp. Catalog (1950)    (51k) (66k)  Polarizing Microscope AO Spencer (HSC 1953)   Chemical Rubber Company Catalog A-L (1955)   (64k)   (34k)   Microscope, Wide Field Binocular Ernst Leitz (HSC? c. 1935)   (36k) Microscope, Wide Field Binocular Bausch & Lomb (HSC c. 1940)   Braun-Knecht-Heiman Co. Catalog 40 (1940) (100k)   (43k) Polarimeter Zeiss-Winkel (HSC c. 1953)     (28k)   Dubosc Colorimeter Bausch & Lomb (HSC c. 1945)   Braun-Knecht-Heiman Co. Catalog 40 (1940)   (78k)   (66k)    Analytical Balance Christian Becker (HSC 1948)   Braun-Knecht-Heiman Co. Catalog 40 (1940)   (130k)   (66k)   Analytical Chain Balance Christian Becker (HSC 1952)   Central Scientific Company Catalog J-150 (1950)   (94k)   (54k)   Analytical Balance Weights Christian Becker (HSC c 1950)   (98k) Analytical Balance Weights Central Scientific Company (HSC c 1952)     (34k)   Zeleny Electroscope Cenco (HSC c. 1950)   Central Scientific Company Catalog J-150 (1950)   (195k)   (50k)   Resistance Box Central Scientific Co. (HSC c. 1950)   Central Scientific Company Catalog J-150 (1950)   (130k)   (65k)   Variable Air Condenser Leeds & Northrup Co. (HSC c. 1950)   Central Scientific Company Catalog J-150 (1950)   (98k)   (50k)    Table-top Centrifuge Philips Drucker (HSC c. 1940)     (22k)   Beckmann Thermometer Central Scientific Company (HSC c 1940?)   (130k)

Most of these instruments may currently be seen by appointment at the Chemistry Department Office at Humboldt State University, Arcata. California.

If you have additional information regarding the instruments you think I could/should include please share that information. I am particularly interested in additional contemporary catalog illustrations for the instruments missing that information. I am also interested in contemporary sources for the use of these instruments in teaching etc. I may be contacted by e-mail : rap1@axe.humboldt.edu; mail: Richard Paselk, Department of Chemistry, Humboldt State University, CA 95521; or telephone: (707) 826-5719.

	HSC (1935-1953)
HSTC (1921-34)	Scientific Instrument Museum Home	HSC (1954-1973)

© R. Paselk

Last modified 2 August 2007

All photographs © R. Paselk