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© R. Paselk
- Last modified 19 August 2010
Humboldt State University ® Department of Chemistry
Robert A. Paselk Scientific Instrument Museum
Bennett, J. A. The Celebrated Phaenomena of Colours: the Early History of the Spectroscope. Whipple Museum of the History of Science, Cambridge (1984). A short pamphlet tracing the development of the spectroscope from its origin to the early 20th century. Well illustrated with contemporary engravings.
Bracegirdle, Brian. A History of Microtechnique, 2nd ed. Science Heritage Limited, Lincolnwood (1986). The standard source for the development of techniques and apparatus for visualizing specimens with light microscopy.
Bracegirdle, Brian. Notes on Modern Microscope Manufacturers. Quekett Microscopical Club, Oxford (1996). Gives the dates of operation, addresses etc. of many instrument manufacturers who made microscopes. Since many also made other instruments it is more widely useful than just to students of the microscope. Also provides brief histories for many companies.
Bradbury, S. The Evolution of the Microscope. Pergamon Press. Oxford (1967). An excellent survey on the development of the microscope and microscopy by a practicing microscopist.
Brand, John C. D. Lines of Light: The Sources of Dispersive Spectroscopy, 18001930. Gordon and Breach Pub. (1995). This is a history of the discipline of spectroscopy, rather than the instruments per se. However it is very valuable for putting the instruments into perspective and a source of information of the people who developed and used spectroscopic instruments.
Bud, Robert and Deborah Jean Warner, eds. Instruments of Science: An Historical Encyclopedia. Garland Publishing, Inc. New York (1998). This book is the result of a joint efforts of the Science Museum (London) and the National Museum of American History (Smithsonian Institution). The large (700+ p), well illustrated, multi author volume features extremely broad coverage of scientific instruments. As expected for a multi-author work the coverage varies considerably with different instruments, some emphasizing history and others description and usage of the instrument. It is currently unique in its coverage of 20th century apparatus, while also covering instruments beginning with antiquity.
Child, Ernest. The Tools of the Chemist. Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York (1940). A wide ranging study of the origins and development of chemical instruments and apparatus, emphasizing U.S. accomplishments. Includes short histories of manufacturers and distributors as well as the usual information on scientists etc.
Hartley, W. G. The Light Microscope: Its Use and Development. Senicio Publishing Co., Oxford (1993). A recent history of the development of the microscope, emphasizing 19th and 20th century developments, by a practicing microscopist. Nicely illustrated with contemporary engravings of details such as operation of focus mechanisms, optical diagrams, etc.
Hopp, Peter M. Slide Rules: Their History, Models, and Makers. Astragal Press, Mendham (1999). The strength of this book is its comprehensive listing of models etc. from manufacturers around the world. There are also tables of patents, important dates in slide rule history, an extensive bibliography, glossary, etc. as well as chapters on the history, makers, types and features of slide rules. This is probably the best book for the serious collector/student of these instruments.
Jenemann, Hans R. Die Waage des Chemikers / The Chemists Balance. DECHEMA, Frankfurt am Main (1997). Printed side-by-side in German and English, this is a very valuable resource for all interested in the development of the modern chemical balance. Covers developments from ancient times up through electronic analytical balances.
Laidler, Keith J. The World of Physical Chemistry. Oxford University Press, Oxford (1993). A marvelous treatment of the history of physical chemistry. Very well written. Provides insight into how some instruments were used and why some were developed.
Middleton, W. E. Knowles. Invention of the Meteorological Instruments. The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore (1969). As the title states Middleton focuses on the invention, and thus earliest versions of, meteorological instruments. however, many have remained unchanged in principle and quite recognizable in their modern versions. Overall this is the best book I have seen for an overview of these instruments. It is often also the only book I've found even covering many of the lesser known instruments.
Pearsall, Ronald. Collecting and Restoring Scientific Instruments. Arco, New York (1974). Written with the collector in mind. Covers most major types of pre-twentieth century instruments with interesting nuggets of information on their histories. Extensive illustrated glossary of instruments. Also has an interesting discussion on instrument restoration, though much of his restoration philosophy must be carefully considered - one can always cleanup more, but you can't restore what's been removed!
Shannon, John M. and Geraldine C. Shannon. The Assay Balance: Its Evolution and the Histories of the Companies That Made Them. (privately printed,1999)*. This is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in precision balances. The Shannons focus on assay balances, but the companies frequently made analytical balances as well, and much of the information is equally applicable to chemical balances. The source for information about the various American balance manufacturers.
Stock, John T. Development of the Chemical Balance. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London (1969). A brief but detailed and well illustrated study of the development of the chemical balance form ancient times to the mid-twentieth century.
Stock, John T. and Denys Vaughan. The Development of Instruments to Measure Electric Current. Science Museum, London (1983). A brief but detailed and well illustrated study of the development of electric meters and other measuring devices.
Sydenham, P. H. Measuring instruments: tools of knowledge and control. Peter Peregrinus Ltd. Stevenage (1979). This is a very wide ranging study of measuring instruments, beginning in ancient times and running to 1950. It is one of the few books I've found with an emphasis on electrical methods. It also goes into the "philosophy" of instrument design.
Szabadváry, Ferenc. History of Analytical Chemistry. Pergamon Press, Oxford (1966). An interesting study of the history of analytical chemistry, a very instrument intensive field. Gives background on the inventors and uses of various chemical instruments.
Turner, Gerard L'E. Nineteenth Century Scientific Instruments. Sotheby/U Cal., London/Berkeley (1983). The survey of 19th century instruments. Well written and researched; wonderfully illustrated. Covers the origins of many instruments which were still important in the 20th century.
Turner, Gerard L'E. The Great Age of the Microscope. Adam Hilger, Bristol (1989). A catalog of a collection. Much useful historical information on microscopes. A model I have used in developing my own cataloging.
Turner, Gerard L'E. The Practice of Science in the Nineteenth Century. Teyler Museum, Haarlem (1996). Much useful historical information on all kinds of scientific instruments. A unique study in that it covers an entire collection, which is largely intact, of a large group of instruments used for teaching and research at a single institution. A model I have used in developing my own cataloging.
von Jezierski, Dieter. Slide Rules: A Journey Through Three Centuries. Astragal Press, Mendham (2000). An excellent introduction to the history of the slide rule and its manufacture. A particularly nice feature is the chapter on slide rule technology, where aspects such as scale division etc. are discussed .
© R. Paselk
