OF-101 Colorimeter in Wooden Case

OF-101 Colorimeter in wooden case

Duboscq colorimeter for the simultaneous comparison of two liquids using two glass tubes, eyepiece observation, and height adjustment of the column with identical glass plungers. The improved version described by Duboscq to the French Academy of Sciences in 1868 was intended for the analysis of colored materials for commercial purposes.

The equipment described by the supplier was originally manufactured by Louis Jules Duboscq in 1854 for a professor of industrial chemistry at the Paris Academy of Commerce. After Duboscq's death in 1886, this type of colorimeter gained importance, especially among biochemists. In the early 20th century, it was also manufactured and adapted by various French and German companies; in the United States, that French optical design was followed with mechanical changes to the base, frame, rack and pinion system, cups, and the incorporation of adjustable verniers.

This specimen is marked BAUSCH & LOMB OPTICAL CO. ROCHESTER, NY USA No. 4860, likely dates to the 1930s, and has a size of 50 mm, referring to the height of the glass tubes. It was transferred to the Smithsonian by the National Bureau of Standards in 1965.

Conservation status: stored for a long time, no guarantee of functionality, and may show signs of wear.

Measurements

• Total height: 36 cm
• Feet: 1 cm
• Front width: 18.5 cm
• Side depth: 17 cm
• With door: 17.5 cm

Ideal for

• Comparison of two liquids via colorimetry
• Analysis of colored materials for commercial purposes
• Use as a historical laboratory instrument