19th Century Scientific Discoveries

Engravings depict 19th-century figures in scientific settings, showcasing early experiments, bookbinding techniques, and innovations in physics and engineering.

Lyon Playfair, Scottish chemist and politician, 1882. Artist: Anon

Cruikshank builds the battery with channels

Engraving depicting William Cruickshank (1745-1800) constructing his trough form of voltaic battery.

Engraving depicting a process in bookbinding: decorating the spine of a leather-bound book. Dated 19th century

Franklin in his laboratory of physics in Philadelphia

James Watt muses about perfecting the Newcomen steam engine

Lyon Playfair, Scottish chemist and politician, 1882. Artist: Anon

Iinstrument of mathematical precision for executing portraits. Copy of original "Instruments of Mathematical Precision for Executing Portraints". 16th century. Author: Albert Durer.

History of medicine. 19th century. Machinery. Cartoning pills. Engraving.

Martin, known as Madman, visited in his study by Dr Arnold, just as his experiment explodes. Illustration for 1869 edition of Tom Browns Schooldays by Thomas Hughes. Original edition 1857.

Engraving depicting James Watt (1736-1819) a Scottish inventor, mechanical engineer, and chemist. Dated 19th century

Engraving depicting an engraver's workshop. Dated 19th century

ENGRAVING-AMPUTATION OF A LEG.

Potter at his wheel forming a vase. In front of him are balls of he can use as necessary. He rotates the wheel with his foot. Engraving, Paris, 1876.

The interior of the quarterdeck, plans for a hot air balloon expedition to the North Pole, illustration from Il Secolo Illustrato della Domenica, Year II, No 59, November 16, 1890.

Engraving depicting the casting of lead shots: this picture shows the inside of the top of the shot tower near Waterloo Bridge, London. Over a circular hole cut in a trap door a stand is placed containing an iron pan pierced with holes, the size depending on the shot to be made. Molten lead is poured through and the drops fall into water some 200 feet below. Arsenic was added to the lead to make the shot perfectly spherical, and to make it harder than if lead alone was used. Dated 19th century

Interior view of a study room in the Roscoff marine laboratory, Finistere, Brittany. France, Europe. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1885

The five senses: smell, a man sniffs tobacco, illustration by Bertall from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 208, Volume VIII, February 20, 1847.

Engraving depicting a carbon arc lamp with Chance bros optics and powered by a Gramme dynamo, used to light the beacon on the top of the Victoria Clock Tower, Westminster.

Engraving depicting a maid dusting items. Dated 19th century

Engraving depicting a man grinding spectacle lenses. Dated 19th century

A glass engraver using a lathe operated by a font treadle. On the bench at his right are the capper disks of various diameters which, together with emery moistened with oil, were used to engrave the glass. 1841

Spending his time in a tower full of scientific equipment, scene from La Grande Marniere, by Georges Ohnet, illustration by Emile Bayard from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 2186, Volume LXXXV, January 17, 1885.

Justus von Liebig, German chemist, at work in his laboratory, mid 19th century (c1885). Artist: Unknown

PASTEUR, Louis (1822-1895) French chemist and bacteriologist. Pasteur observes the effects of inoculation of rabies virus, Paris. Engraving by Rico.

Portrait of James Watt (1736-1819) a Scottish inventor, mechanical engineer, and chemist. Dated 19th Century

Illustration showing Thomas Edison (1847 - 1931) in his laboratory experimenting with light in 1880. The most prolific inventor the world has ever seen, he invented a a system for generating and distributing electricity making possible the widespread use of electric light. Date: 4th Dec 1880

Artist's impression of Louis Daguerre (1789-1851) French pioneer of photography, discovering the sensitivity to light of silver iodide. Engraving, Paris, c1870

Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) in his laboratory. American inventor of the phonograph and businessman. Engraving, 1881.

Rene-Antoine Ferchault de Reaumur (1683 - 1757), French naturalist and physicist, constructs the first thermometer. Date: 1730

Astronomy: an astronomer ? in his study, looking out of the window. Lithograph by M. Jackson after J. G.

Louis Pasteur in his laboratory, looking through a microscope. Wood engraving by A. Marie, 1885.

First Photographs With The Use Of Magnesium Flash, Berlin 1887.

Stitching, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1855.

Davy decomposes alkali with the battery of Volta (1807)

transport transportation aviation balloons ""Expedition with the Balloon"" interior view of the capsule drawing by Royet ""L'Illustration"" circa 1895,

Man preserving zoological specimen, animal, preserved for scientific use, 1886, animal preparator, History, digital reproduction of an original 19th-century original

'The Chemist instructing his young apprentice. In the background are furnaces and stills. Hand-coloured woodcut from ''The Book of English Trades'', London, 1823.'

Engraving depicting Jean Martin Charcot's electrotherapy clinic at the Salpetriere, Paris, founded 1877. 2 Wimshurst machines (static electric machines) in glass cases which contained saucers of calcium chloride to keep the atmosphere dry, and belt driven by an electric motor. Patients sit in a row of insulated stools and are charged: an assistant draws sparks from them as he moves slowly along the line. Found to have a sedative effect. Some authorities considered that the ozone produced by the machines was also beneficial. Dated 19th century

An engraving depicting an adjustable reading lamp with tilting shade. Made by the Duplex Electric Light, Power & Storage Co., Soho Square, London. This portable lamp had an incandescent bulb powered by a seven-cell wet battery. A single charge would give a light of 10 candlepower for six hours. Dated 19th century

Fig. LIII. Hydromylos, cum trochleâ. Ein Einsache Schraubkunst, mit einem Mahlwerck. Sitimylos, cum hydrotrochleâ.. Bockler, Georg Andreas. Prints, Drawings, Design drawings. 1662. Rare Book Division. Mechanical engineering, Machinery, Mills and mill-work, Waterwheels, Millstones, Flour & meal industry

Manufacture of cylindrical bullets, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 1090, Volume XLIII, January 16, 1864.

An engraving depicting the casting of crucible steel. To protect his legs and feet the man pouring the metal has wrapped them in damp sacking. Dated 19th century

Engraving depicting Von Bose's version of von Guericke's static electric machine

Mann übt Geige spielen im Wohnzimmer, Historisch, digitale Reproduktion einer Originalvorlage aus dem 19. Jahrhundert

Engraving by W. Bazzett Murray showing Gramme's direct-current dynamo. Zenobe Theophile Gramme (1826-1901) built the first successful dynamo in 1869, incorporating a ring-wound armature ('Gramme ring'), which after various improvements, he manufactured in 1871. It was the first electric generator to be used commercially, for electroplating as well as electric lighting. Date: November 2nd 1878

Physics research laboratory at the Sorbonne, Paris. Engraving, 1895.

Isaac Newton (1642-1727) English scientist and mathematician. Reflecting telescope: differential calculus; gravitation. Newton's dog knocking over a candle and setting fire to Newton's papers. Engraving published Paris 1874

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) in Arcetri, old Italian scientist giving lesson to the pupils, sitting around his bed, during his confinement, Ancient roman empire. Italy, Europe. Old 19th century engraved illustration, El Mundo Ilustrado 1881

Cooke & Wheatstone's double needle telegraph. The letters of the alphabet and a variety of conventional signals; were indicated by single and combined movements of the galvanometer needles. The operator worked the instrument by manipulating the two handles at the bottom and an alarm bell was housed in the upper casing and was used to signal the beginning of a message.

Baby incubators in use at the Port-Royal Maternity Hospital, Paris, France, which was under the direction of Etienne (Stepahne) Tarnier (1828-1897), French obstetrician. Engraving from 'The Illustrated London News' (London, 8 March 1884).

Illustration depicting the use of the Westinghouse air brakes. A railway passenger is experiencing the effect of the application of the brake. Dated 19th century

An engraving depicting an academic listening to recordings in the sound library, Paris. Dated 19th century

Cartoon - Exposed Plumbing Rostap (1866-1949)

The workplace of a shoemender next to a tavern: the shoemender has gone next door for a drink in the company of the barman. Lithograph by N.L. Delaunois, 1832, after E.J. Pigal.

Baby incubators in use at the Port-Royal Maternity Hospital, Paris, France, which was under the direction of Etienne (Stepahne) Tarnier (1828-1897), French obstetrician. Engraving from The Illustrated London News (London, 8 March 1884).

An anatomy demonstration at the Ecole de Medecine, Paris Date: 1890

Engraving depicting Jean-Antoine Nollet (1700-1770) a French clergyman and physicist. Dated 18th century

Engraving of complicated device for weighing gold sovereigns. Date: 1873

Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) Scottish-born American inventor; patented telephone 1876. Bell filing caveat for his telephone at United States Patent Office at 3pm on 14 February, just 2 hours before Elisha Gray. Bell's telephone is on the table, right. Wood engraving published Paris c1890

Historic stock certificate, image of a young woman holding a globe, oil rigs and an oil refinery at the back, oil pipeline, Atlantic Richfield Company, an oil and gas company now part of BP, 1976, Pennsylvania, USA, North America

An engraving depicting Luigi Galvani investigating the behaviour of muscles stimulated by electricity. Luigi Galvani (1737-1798) an Italian physician, physicist, biologist and philosopher. Dated 19th century

An engraving depicting the hardening on tempering files by firing and then immediately plunging into a tank of cold water. Dated 19th century

At work in the magnetic observatory perched on a pedestal of frozen gravel is a magnetometer; From Elisha Kent Kane Arctic Explorations: The Second grlnnell Expedition, in Search of Sir John Franklin, 1853

Born in 1822, he studied chemistry under Delafosse. He discovered the nature of the fermentation and went on to research his germ theory of disease. He demonstrated that vaccinating cattle with strains of anthrax protected them against infections from subsequent inoculations. He used this theory in the treatment against rabies. Date: 1885

Jacques and Jean Bernoulli working on geometrical problems. Jacques (Jakob) Bernoulli (1654-1705) and his brother Jean (Johann) Bernoulli (1667-1748) were members of the Bernoulli family of Swiss mathematicians. Engraving, Paris, 1874.

Antoine Laurent Lavoisier (1743-1894) French chemist, demonstrating his discovery of oxygen, 1776. On the table in the right background of the picture is his calorimeter, From Louis Figuier Vies des Savant Illustres du XVIIIe Siecle, Paris 1874, Engraving

Experience made by the Abbe Cha of Auteroche, of the Academy of Sciences, at Tobolsk, in Silberie, in the year 1761, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1855.

Jean Martin Charcot (1825-1903) French neurologist and pathologist, on right, demonstrating production of hypnosis using the sound from a large tuning fork. Picture drawn from life at the Salpetriere Hospital, Paris. Freud heard of posthypnotic suggestion from Charcot. Engraving from 'La Nature', Paris, 1879.

Throwing pots. The potters are rotating their wheels with their feet. From Chemical Technology, Philadelphia, 1849, by F. Knapp.

Astronomy: an astronomer in his study, reading, while holding a pair of dividers. Woodcut.

Electrification method in the 18th century, experiments with electricity, attraction of a woman's hair, current, generator, friction electricity, experimental setup, historical, digitally restored reproduction of an original from the 19th century, colored.

Glover perfumer or the eighteenth century, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1882.

Emil Du Bois-Reimond during an animal magnetism experiment, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 381, Volume XV, June 15, 1850.

Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), Croatian inventor seated beside his wireless telegraphy apparatus

Frederick Augustus Abel (1827-1902), English chemist and inventor, 1877-1878. Artist: Edward Linley Sambourne

William J. Morlan, vintage engraved illustration. Jules Verne Cesar Cascabel, 1890.

Telegraph by Morse, Arrival of a Dispatch, Historical, digitally restored reproduction of a 19th century original, exact date unknown

Illustration showing the completion of the first Anglo-French telephone with callers in London speaking to Paris. Insert picture no. 1 shows a telephone wire-testing machine, and no.2 shows a Subscribers (Silent) Box for making private calls. Date: March 28th 1891

Vacuum apparatus used to exhaust Edison incandescent light bulbs at G (centre top). From Scientific American, New York, 1880. Engraving

The Invisible Man. Griffin experiments

Die-stamping the channel and eye position on needle wires, Redditch, England. Foot-operated 13.6kg hammer. Woodcut c1835

Cartoon created soon after the announcement of Wilhelm Röntgen's discovery of X-rays. Wilhelm Röntgen (1845-1923) a German/Dutch mechanical engineer and physicist. Dated 19th Century

Engraving depicting a gyroscope providing scientific entertainment for the whole family.

Fire watchers in Vienna using a telescope mounted so that the location of a fire could be determined accurately by means of the position of a needle in the divided scale map of the city.

'The Wire Drawer: Wires of various metals from gold to iron and in different gauges were needed for manufacture from jewelry to iron nails. Hand-coloured woodcut from ''The Book of English Trades'', London, 1823.'

Professor of experimental physics. Cusco 19th Century. Peru, South America. Old 19th century engraved illustration, Le Tour du Monde 1863

William Lee (1563-1614). English clergyman and inventor. He devised the first stocking frame knitting machine in 1589. Engraving by Linton. "l'Univers Illustre", 1852.

Michael Faraday - English scientist establishing the fundamental law of electrolysis. Date: circa 1830

Engraving depicting Jean and Jacques Bernoulli working on geometrical problems. Dated 17th Century

William J. Morlan, vintage engraving. William J. Morlan, vintage engraved illustration. Jules Verne Cesar Cascabel, 1890. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10659763

Engraving depicting a woman spinning with a Jersey Wheel - used for wool and cotton. On the floor in the centre foreground are the hand cards for combing the fibres prior to spinning. Dated 19th century

Engraving depicting a vacuum apparatus for exhausting Edison incandescent light bulbs

Cartoon commemorating the centenary of Michael Faraday's (1791-1867) birth and his contributions to the development of electricity. Dated 19th Century

Engraving depicting various examples of the use of the centre of gravity. Dated 19th century

An engraving depicting James Alfred Ewing's earthquake recorder. This device was used for measuring earthquake shocks in Japan. James Alfred Ewing (1855-1935) a Scottish physicist and engineer. Dated 19th century

Thomas Major created an etching in 1750 showing a chymist in a laboratory with glassware, flasks, and experimental apparatus.

An engraving depicting a gas reading lamp. Dated 19th century

PASTEUR, Louis (1822-1895) French chemist and bacteriologist. Study of microbes in the Pasteur Institute. Engraving.

The electrical treatment room. The neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot in a consulting room of the mental hospital Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital in Paris. Patients wait for treatment with an electric current. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1885

Engraving of Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686-1736) designer of the Fahrenheit scale and the mercury thermometer.

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