19th Century Scientific Illustrations

A collection of engravings and cartoons depicting various 19th-century experiments, inventions, and industrial processes, featuring diverse subjects in historical settings.

CHRISTIAN HUYGENS working on his invention of the first pendulum clock

An engraving depicting the disgorging of bottles: Champagne cellars, Pommery & Greno's champagne production at Reims, France. The disgorger removes the first cork and the deposit accumulated on it, after which the bottle is recorked and wired. 1889.

Cartoon depicting Theodore Jones' silent alarm clock bedstead which was exhibited at the Great Exhibition. According to the Official Catalogue 'The movement of the hand of a common watch will turn anyone out of bed at any given hour when attached to this bedstead. Dated 19th century

Engraving depicting the tempering of files , Sheffield. Dated 19th century

Humboldt and Hall_ repeating the experiments of Galvani and Volta

A cartoon commenting on Dalglish's method of aerating bread with CO2 was becoming widespread.. Dated 19th century

Glass gobe static electric machine used as drawing room entertainment, 1772.

Engraving depicting the turbines of the Niagara Falls hydroelectric power station. Dated 19th century

CHRISTIAN HUYGENS working on his invention of the first pendulum clock

An engraving depicting a watchmaker. Dated 19th century

Dr. Koch, Heinrich Hermann Robert (1843-1910) in his laboratory in Berlin. Engraving, 1890.

Joseph Black visiting James Watt in his Glasgow workshop, c1760. Artist's impression of Joseph Black (1729-1799), Scottish chemist, visiting James Watt (1736-1819), Scottish inventor and engineer, in his workshop in the precincts of Glasgow University where he was instrument maker to the university. From'Les Merveilles de la Science', Louis Figuier, (Paris c1879).

World Expo 1867, M Monot workshop for crystal size, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1867.

An engraving depicting the interior of the Lyden pumping station, showing part of the steam engine made by Harveys of Hayle, Cornwall, one of three used to drain Harlem Lake. Dated 19th century

Operator sending a message on a Morse electric printing telegraph by tapping out code with key. Under table are we cells (batteries) supplying electricity . Wood engraving 1887

James Nasmyth (18081890), Scottish engineer, inventor of the steam hammer and the Nasmyth telescope

Loom for weaving stockings. The knittre's female assistant. illustration. Plate 314. Encyclopedia. Edited by Denis Diderot (1713-1784) and Jean Le Rond d'Alembert (1717-1783). Published C. 1770. Engraving.

Engraving depicting a copperplate printer. Dated 19th century

Engraving depicting a carpenter drawing a nail from a plank using a clawed hammer as a bent lever. Dated 19th century

Antoine Laurent Lavoisier (1743-1894) French chemist, investigating the existence of oxygen in the air; experiment in which he obtained mercuric oxide. From Camille Flammarion 'The Atmosphere', London, 1873. Engraving

SKETCHES IN THE BANK OF ENGLAND

Illustration showing a woman using a lathe to cut the thread on screws: Birmingham. 1844

Cutler's workshop. From Diderot 'Encyclopedie' c1751.

Cotton ginning machine, hand-operated, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 1150, Volume XLV, March 11, 1865.

Illustration showing Stamping patterns on metal buttons, London, 1866

Engraving depicting printing in China. Dated 19th century

Robert Koch (1843 - 1910). German physician and pioneering microbiologist. Engraving published in Spain, 1890.

Hausen's Electric Machine

French grocer and druggist, 17th century.

An electrical machine: a man is shown demonstrating a table-top electrical machine to a young woman. Etching, 1760/1790.

An engraving depicting an electromagnet supporting the weight of a boy. Dated 19th century

The origin of the Leyden Jar. Andreas Cuneus (1712-1778) Dutch lawyer and scientist, in the laboratory of Pieter von Musschenbroek (1692-1761), attempting to electrify water contained in a bottle with the charge created by the friction from a glass globe static electric machine, Leyden, 1746. Musschenbroek repeated the experiment and was surprised by the electric shock he received. Engraving from 'Electricity in the Service of Man' by Amedee Guillemin (London, 1891).

Stock ticker, circa 1885

Observing a solar eclipse, 1673. Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687), a wealthy Polish brewer and councillor of Danzig devoted much time and money to astronomy. Hevelius, left, and an assistant, studying the sun during a partial eclipse. As viewing the sun directly would have damaged their eyes, they are in a darkened room and the sun's image is being projected through a telescope onto a piece of white paper. From 'Machina Coelestis' by Johannes Hevelius. (Danzig, 1673).

Robertson's explanation of Nostradamus' magic mirror. Old 19th century engraving from La Nature 1887

Engraving depicting the process of drawing a spark generated by a glass globe electric machine from the body of a child lying on a block of resin - circa 1745

Operating the pressure pump which forced oil up to the burner on the Eddystone lighthouse. This was in the fifth Eddystone lighthouse built on the Stone 13 miles South-east of Polperro, Cornwall, England, designed by James Douglas, engineer to Trinity House, between 1878 and 1892. Engraving from 'The Strand Magazine' (London, 1892).

Experiments with Ruhmkorff's coil at the Robin theatre, France, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 1117, Volume XLIV, July 23, 1864.

Illustration depicting a Treadwell press. Dated 19th century

Textiles: three stages in the production of woollen cloth, cutting the nap (top), washing or sizeing ? (centre), and pressing (bottom). Engraving, 1750.

fire generation of fire with fire stone steel stick and Phellinus early 19th century wood engraving 1899,

An engraving depicting Professor Baden Powell giving a Friday Evening Discourse at The Royal Institution of Great Britain on the rotation of the Earth. Dated 19th century

Loysel coffee machine, Paris Universal Exhibition, France, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 662, Volume XXVI, November 3, 1855.

Imaginative reconstruction of Ptolemy of Alexandria in his observatory. Dated 19th Century

An engraving depicting an electrically heated bread oven at Rey's Bakery, Montauban, France. These were heated by F. Le Roy's elements which were of wire wound around a ceramic base. Dated 20th century

Charles Maurand after Honoré Daumier, Physiologie du Buveur ls quatre ages, 1862 Physiologie du Buveur: ls quatre ages

Illustration showing Luigi Galvani (1737-98), observing movement in frogs legs during a thunderstorm. Galvani was an Italian physician, physicist, biologist and philosopher, who discovered animal electricity.

Plate showing wood workshop and tools. Engraving from Denis Diderot, Jean Baptiste Le Rond d'Alembert, L'Encyclopedie, 1751-1757.

Turning an earthenware bottle. This was don before firing but after the clay had dried out and set after throwing. Engraving, London, 1886.

Ancient History. The catapult. Siege machine used to throw objects from a distance as projectiles. Engraving by Capuz. Historia General de España by Father Mariana. Madrid, 1852. Author: Tomas Carlos Capuz (1834-1899). Spanish engraver and xylograph.

Chandlery. 18th Century. "Encyclopedie Diderot et d'Alembert". Engraving.

Opening of the London to Paris telegraph link. Instrument room at the Submarine Telegraph Company, Cornhill, London, showing Wheatstone needle telegraph instrument. Wood engraving November 1852

Placement of lead type pieces on a composing stick, working in typography, France, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 732, Volume XXIX, March 7, 1857.

Imaginative reconstruction of Ptolemy of Alexandria in his observatory. Dated 19th Century

The electrical experiments of Jean-Antoine NOLLET, abbe and professor physics at Paris ; demonstrating how electricity is conducted by the human body Date: circa 1755

Engraving depicting an adult student checking instruments at the meteorological station in the Forest of Fontainebleau run by the Sorbonne.

Illustration of a type distributing (left) and type composing machines invented by A. Delcambre. Dated 19th century

Oersted discovers the deviation of a magnetic needle by a closed electric current (1820)

Electricity experiment in the 18th Century, historical engraving, 1880

Joseph Black conducts the experiment of caloric latent before students of the University of Glasgow

Otto von Guericke demonstrates his electric machine, producing static electricity from a globe when rubbed. Date: circa 1660

Making recording on Emile Berliner's Gramophone (1887). Speaking into tube produced trace on glass disc (A) coated with lamp-black. D, electric motor, E its battery. Trace fixed by varnishing, then copied in metal photographically. From 'Cassell's Family Magazine', London, 1888 Engraving

Illustration depicting the Caulking of a ship by turning in the edges of the riveted plates with a chisel. Dated 19th Century

An engraving depicting a female gardener watering plants in a cold frame. At this date, establishments were being set up in France, Germany and Britain to give women sound training which would enable them to earn a living as market gardeners or as gardeners in private employment. Dated 19th century

An elderly alchemist sitting next to his equipment. Engraving by C. Weigel, 1698.

Fire engine. From Isaac de Caus Nouvelle Invention de Lever l'Eau Plus Hault, London, 1664. Engraving

While some scientists share Galvani's, and some Volta's views of the nature of electricity, Galvani's findings are confirmed by Halle and von Humboldt Date: circa 1790

Lesson in the workshop of a physicist, Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki, 1791 print Berlin paper etching Utopia. education. physics. experiment, test ~ science and technology

Sir Isaac Newton's dog Diamond knocks over a lighted candle, destroying the results of years of work Date: circa 1689

Engraving depicting the use of a Bell & Tainter Graphophone. The recording was made by a stylus on a cardboard cylinder coated with wax, and the cylinder was rotated by means of a treadle underneath the stand. Dated 19th century

Torch and lamp Enameller, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1861.

Soap factory. Mixing process. 18th century. Encyclopedie by Diderot et d'Alembert. Engraving.

FARADAY IN ITS STUDY - DISCOVERER OF ELECTROMAGNETISM AND ELECTROLYSIS.

Engraving depicting René Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur (1683-1757) a French scientist, seen construction a thermometer. Dated 18th Century

William Watson produces an electrical spark from a human body Date: 1745

An engraving depicting Cutting wires for Champagne corks at Pommery & Greno's, Reims, France. 1889.

The Eddystone lighthouse built on the Stone 13 miles South-east of Polperro, Cornwall, England. This is the fifth Eddystone lighthouse, designed by James Douglas, engineer to Trinity House, built between 1878 and 1892. Lighting the oil lamp inside the rim of the bull's-eye lenses. Engraving from 'The Strand Magazine' (London, 1892).

An engraving depicting the disgorging of bottles: Champagne cellars, Monterey, California. The disgorger removes the first cork and the deposit accumulated on it, after which the bottle is recorked and wired. 1882.

An engraving depicting French Cider press. 1873

Engraving depicting Augustus Applegath's vertical cylinder printing machine. Augustus Applegath (1788-1871) an English printer and inventor known for developing the first workable vertical-drum rotary printing press. Dated 19th century

Le jeune chimiste - The Young Chemist

Forming the throat of a glass goblet. The blower is wearig a shied to protect his face from heat of the furnace. From Diderot 'Encyclopedie' c1751.

Projection room at the Regent Street Polytechnic, showing a double oxy-hydrogen projector for dissolving views. From The Popular Educator, Cassell; Petter & Galpin, London, nd, c1885.

French scholar, mathematician and physicist, at work in his laboratory Date: 1775 - 1836

Engraving depicting Pieter van Musschenbroek inventing the Leyden Jar - 1746

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A chain or rope washer pump or paternoster

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; 17th century mechanical paper making

Department for printing banknotes in the state printing company, Vienne, France, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 654, Volume XXVI, September 8, 1855.

Engraving depicting the process of making lead shots: weighing shot and putting it up into bags. Dated 19th century

Engraving showing the private cabin of Captain Sir John Franklin aboard HMS 'Erebus', shortly before the ship departed on his ill-fated Arctic expedition of 1845. In 1845 the British Admiralty sent two polar exploration ships, HMS 'Erebus' and HMS 'Terror', to look for the Northwest passage round the northern coast of Canada. The expedition, commanded by Sir John Franklin, disappeared from view late in 1845 and none of the men were ever seen again. In fact the ships made it to the King

Experiment conducted in Leiden by Musschenbroek on 20 April 1746

Illustration showing CHAIN WHEEL being used to work the windlass on a well head. Ramelli's 'le diverse artificiose machine' 1620

An engraving depicting a mechanical dulcimer player by Hintzen & Kintzen. Dated 19th century

Faraday in his laboratory at the Royal Institution in London, vintage engraved illustration. From the Universe and Humanity, 1910.

Printing. Composing room of a print shop. The typesetter (Fig 1) has the letters all arranged before him in the typecast. Encyclopedie. Edited by Denis Diderot (1713-1784) and Jean Le Rond d'Alembert (1717-1783). Published C. 1770. Engraving.

An engraving depicting Tyrolean farmer gathering grape harvest 1835

Louis Pasteur was born in 1822. He studied chemistry under Delafosse. Discovering the nature of fermentation, he 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: 1895

The tip. The ship navigator sighting the horizon using a sextant. The tip. The captain sighting the horizon using a sextant. From Travel Diaries, vintage engraving, 1884-85. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10659869

Different people watching of the total solar eclipse on September 7, 1820 in Paris, France. Europe. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1889

Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727), British scientist. Watches as an apple falls from a tree prompting his theory of Gravity. Illustration 1727

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