Antique Scientific Instruments

Late Victorian Campbell Stokes Sunshine Recorder By J Hicks, London

Late Victorian Campbell Stokes Sunshine Recorder By J Hicks, London
Late Victorian Campbell Stokes Sunshine Recorder By J Hicks, London
Late Victorian Campbell Stokes Sunshine Recorder By J Hicks, London
Late Victorian Campbell Stokes Sunshine Recorder By J Hicks, London
Late Victorian Campbell Stokes Sunshine Recorder By J Hicks, London

Late Victorian Campbell Stokes Sunshine Recorder By J Hicks, London

For sale a late Victorian Campbell-Stokes Sunshine recorder by J Hicks. This interesting piece of meteorological equipment is formed from a cast iron and black painted base with a glass sphere to the centre and solid brass mounted adjustable collar surrounding the sphere. In the collar are placed specially designed sunshine recording cards (still available) to allow for summer and winter sun positions in the sky. The recorder works by focussing the suns rays through the glass sphere and burning a line in the recording paper as the sun passes overhead. The design is so simple and elegant that it remains in use today by meteorologists without change.

The piece also retains a brass plaque stating the makers name J Hicks and the address of 8, 9 & 10 Hatton Gardens meaning that this instrument was created after 1885 when the business premises were expanded to incorporate numbers 9 & 10. Originally invented in 1853 by John Francis Campbell, the first design consisted only of a glass sphere within a wooden bowl where, the recording would be taken by measuring the burn line on the wood itself. In 1879, Sir George Gabriel Stokes refined Campbells invention by fitting a metal collar to the design and thus allowing for the recording to be converted to cards that could be removed and replaced as required. This particular instrument was manufactured by the great scientific instrument maker, James Joseph Hicks.

Hicks was born in Cork, Ireland in 1837 to a poor farming family and was sent to London for schooling. He was apprenticed to the famous Louis P Casella where he remained until 1861. In that short time he had already risen to become Casellas foreman, showing just how able the young Hicks was.

Highly skilled in the development and the improvement of scientific instruments, Hicks business was large enough by 1880 to have over 300 employees on the books. A shrewd marketer, he was present at eight Royal Society Exhibitions during the period, 1876 1913 and extended his reach overseas by attending numerous world trade fairs. He won a gold medal at the 1900 Paris exhibition. In 1910 at the age of 73, he successfully negotiated a merger between his company and the equally famous WF Stanley and remained a director of the company that retained his name until his death in 1916.

During his life he established a near monopoly on clinical thermometers leading to Hicks being dubbed, King of the Clinicals. Jason Clarke Antiques are happy to discuss carriage, condition or for any other queries, alternatively, you can also message me and I will endeavour to come back to you as soon as possible. I have a number of beautiful antiques for sale, so please feel free to browse my other items. The item "LATE VICTORIAN CAMPBELL STOKES SUNSHINE RECORDER BY J HICKS, LONDON" is in sale since Tuesday, April 24, 2018.

This item is in the category "Collectables\Scientific Collectables\Scientific Instruments\Other Scientific Instruments". The seller is "jason750_1" and is located in newbury, Berkshire.

This item can be shipped to United Kingdom.
  • Type: Meteorological
  • Sub-Type: Sunshine Recorder
  • Period: 1800 to 1900
  • Material: Brass
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom

Late Victorian Campbell Stokes Sunshine Recorder By J Hicks, London