George Adams Jr., 60 Fleet Street, London, England, c1780

Of elongated form with an arched one-piece silvered brass plate inscribed "Adams, Fleet Street, London," above slender trunk with molded edges and exposed brass-capped tube terminating in a molded girdled semi-hemisphere cistern cover, the plate with a manual 27 to 31 inch vernier sliding scale and thermometer.

Condition: Excellent and in good working condition; nice engraving and patination; the glass mercury tube possibly an old replacement

36 ½” High x 4 ½” Wide

George Adams Jr.:

Succeeding his father as Instrument Maker to His Majesty King George III in 1773, he was also later designated Optician to the Prince of Wales. He was considered one of the finest instrument makers of the 18th century. The quality of the timber, moldings, and cabinetry in general are of the finest. Features as the geared hygrometer (to measure humidity), brass door catch, and beautifully engraved and annotated scales are typical of his products.

George Adams, Jr., was born in Southampton in 1750. His father, George Adams, Sr., was one of the most important English instrument makers in the second half of the eighteenth century. The senior Adams published a popular work, "Micrographia Illustrata" (1746), and introduced a number of improvements in microscope design. George Adams, Sr. also made many other scientific instruments. After George Sr.'s death in 1773, the company he founded was managed by his sons, George Jr. and his younger brother Dudley. George Adams, Jr., was a leading maker of mathematical instruments. He was instrument-maker to George III and optician to the Prince of Wales. King George III awarded him an annual sum of money and Adams taught several others in the art of instrument making.

Adams was the author of a large number of elementary scientific works, which according to a writer in the "British Critic," were so planned as 'to comprise a regular and systematic instruction in the most important branches of natural science with all its modern improvements." He also wrote largely on the use of mathematical instruments, and his books on that subject were highly valued. In many of his published works he combined a religious with a scientific aim, and 'applied all his knowledge,' says the 'Gentleman's Magazine,' 'to the best of purposes-to combat the growing errors of materialism, infidelity, and anarchy'. Adams published a wide range of works on various scientific topics, including "Essay on Electricity" (1784), "Essays on the Microscope" (1787), "Astronomical and Geographical Essays" (1789), "Essay on Vision" (1789) "Geometrical and Graphical Essays" (1791), "Lectures on Natural and Experimental Philosophy" (1794).

  Price: Please Inquire

#5737

Accessories     Ceramics     Early Asian Ceramics     Fine Art     Furniture     Glassware     Silver     Home