— Only Known Surveying Instrument Signed J.MORSE (18th Century).
Samuel F. B. Morse, the inventor of the Telegraphic Code, the MORSE-CODE is well known by everybody; his
father, Jedidiah Morse, born in Woodstock Connecticut in 1761 is less know even so he was the first to published an all encompassing work on the United States Geography in Colonial Times in 1784. It was an instant best-seller and earned him the sobriquet of “Father of American Geography.” He was a Yale graduate, minister of Charlestown Massachusetts for thirty years, scholar of Indians, politician, philanthropist, and so much more. As an investor, he bought for instance ten shares issued to finance the first Massachusetts Turnpike in 1791 for $291. Also included is a letter Jedidiah Morse wrote to his wife in 1795, read more>>
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—Exceedingly rare and fine quadruple Clepsammia or Hour-Glass, probably the finest extant example from the 17th century in the world.
Only scientists and noble men could afford an instrument like this back in the 17th century. Therefore, only few were ever made. Once dropped to the ground, the instrument was destroyed.
Most individuals never heard of a clepsammia from the 17th century, not even of a single double bubble clepsammia. There is nothing to be found on Google; that is how rare these are. I was only able to find records of two other 17th century quadruple clepsammias or hour-glasses. The other two are not complete and have missing parts. The one I'm offering here is in all original complete preservation, and this after 400 years!
Incredible find; Nathaniel Potter the II, son of immigrant Nathaniel Potter who came to the USA in 1628 from England, brought this quadruple clepsammia somewhen between 1650 and 1700 from one of this trips to Europe back to the United States. A descendant, 13 generations removed, had it in his possession until five years ago when I bought it from him.
In the last five years I did a lot of research. However, I was only able to find records of two other quadruple early 17th century clepsammias or hour-glasses through my research; this is an incredible rare object of which most collectors have not even seen pictures of, even advanced collectors. Imagine, this delicate object with its hand-blown glass spheres was never dropped in 400 years! I also have never seen an image in any of the many books about scientific instruments out there; this is how rare these early 17th century clepsammias or hour-glasses are!
The leading collector in the field, famous French writer and intellectual, Jacques Attali, owns one of the other two known extant instruments. His quadrupple sand-glass is pictured in his book, “Mémoire de Sabliers.” read more>>
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— Early, ca 1820, James Watt Model Steam Engine. Sold!
Possibly the finest model of an original period Model from ca 1820, featuring a four column rotative James Watt vertical steam engine of the reciprocating beam type with double-action low-pressure single-cylinder, Watt's “parallel motion” linkage, and Watt's centrifugal speed governor.
If the reader knows of the wereabouts of a finer model anywhere in the world, I would love to hear about it; please leave a comment with the pertinent info for everybody else to see. Please correct me and leave a comment, thanks!
James Watt is considered the father of the industrial revolution and was one of the most important engineers and scientists in history. Some scientists argue that the design of the parallel motion (or double-acting engine) patented by Watt in 1784, should serve as the starting point of the “Anthropocene Epoch” - the unofficial interval of geologic time in which human activity began to substantially alter Earth's surface, atmosphere, and oceans. read more>>
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— Charles Page Reciprocating Electro-Magnetic Engine of 1838. Sold!
At that time (1830's and 1840's) it was still open whether Electromagnetic motors should be rotating or reciprocating machines, i.e. simulate a plunger rod of a steam engine.
While Davenport's motor was resembling a rotating design,
Pages motor was based on the plunger type, resembling a steam egine by which
Page replaced the piston generating the force transmitted to the flywheel by a
beam with four electric magnets.
This working demonstration model was crafted by Daniel Davis Jr., sometime after July 1838 and was mentioned in Benjamin Silliman's American Journal of Science, vol. XXXV, 1838, page 264; the oldest Scientific Journal in the United States, founded in 1818.
It is estimated that less than five of these models have survived and are only to be found in museums or major private collections. read more>>
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— Charles Lane Poor Line of Position Computer. Sold!
This exceedingly rare navigation instrument is called “Line of Position Computer,” and is essentially a mechanical navigator or circular slide rule for determining one's location, either from morning or afternoon sightings for longitude or from the St. Hilaire method of finding the line of position.
Despite the extensive references in the literature, Poor´s Line of Position Computer was not a commercial success and only very
few examples are known to exist, “[t]he scarcity of surviving examples suggests the government and general public had little interest
in the instrument. Indeed, aviators preferred inspection tables over slide rules for navigation,”
The National Museum of American History.
Charles Lane Poor (January 18, 1866 — September 27, 1951) was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, the son of Edward Erie Poor. He graduated from the City College of New York and received a Ph.D. in 1892 from Johns Hopkins University. Poor became an American astronomer and professor of celestial mechanics at Columbia University from 1903 to 1944, when he was named Professor Emeritus. He published several books on astronomy and a monograph disputing the evidence for Einstein´s theory of relativity in the pre-war years before the theory became firmly established. Poor published a series of papers that reflect his lack of understanding for the theory of relativity, read more>>
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