Bidspirit auction | Antique German Physics Demonstration Kit

Antique German Physics Demonstration Kit - This exceptional late 19th to early 20th-century German scientific demonstration apparatus is a spectacular find for any collector of early physics and laboratory history. The comprehensive set includes a classic Cavendish-style split brass sphere mounted on an insulating tripod stand, an impressive blown-glass Geissler aurora flask discharge tube assembly featuring internal electrodes and an integrated brass petcock valve with a mounting arm, and a custom black wooden box housing six vibrant fluid-filled fluorescence tubes with etched German chemical labels including ”Rosazin” and ”Eosn. gelblich”. Used as educational tools in university laboratories to showcase early experimental optics, static electricity, and luminescent properties, pieces of this caliber are incredibly scarce remnants of early scientific history. Professionally evaluated, the glass components remain in excellent condition with no cracks or blemishes, and the fluorescence tubes retain their original fluid with no leaks. However, one of the mechanism handles on the blown-glass apparatus has broken off, the brass components exhibit an expected rich patina with tarnish and oxidation inside the hemisphere and on the electrode terminals, and the wooden box shows minor age-related edge wear and light fraying to its paper lining. The split sphere stands approximately 19.5 inches tall with a 5-inch sphere diameter, while the blown-glass apparatus measures 17 inches tall with its bronze base. Total dimensions: H 19.5”, W 12”, D 12”. Please see photographs for condition. From the Dale Beeks collection.