Historical Scientific Illustrations

19th-century engravings featuring historical figures in scientific settings, showcasing early laboratory equipment and practices.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN American statesman, scientist and philosopher in his physics lab at Philadelphia. Date: 1706 - 1790

Calico printing with a cylinder machine: A separate cylinder was used for each colour, and a single machine could print 0.7 km of cloth per hour. Engraving, London, 1843.

An engraving depicting Benjamin Franklin in his laboratory. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, polymath, author, printer, political theorist, politician, freemason and postmaster. Dated 19th century

ELECTRO AND SILVER PLATING, SKETCHED AT THE WORKS OF MESSRS. ELKINGTON AND CO., VISITED BY H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN American statesman, scientist and philosopher in his physics lab at Philadelphia. Date: 1706 - 1790

Lyon Playfair (1818-1898) Scottish chemist and politician, on the first day of the new session in the Commons. He studied chemistry at Glasgow under Thomas Graham, and under Liebig at Giessen. Professor chemistry at Edinburgh university 1858-1896. Discovered the nitroprusside class of salts. Chemist to the Geological Survey, 1846. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society 1848. Engaged in the organisation of the Great Exhibition of 1851. Liberal MP for the universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh 1868-1885. Secretary of State for Science and Art 1855. Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons 1880-1883. Knighted 1883. Created Baron 1892. From 'The Graphic'. (London, 18 February 1882).

Illustration showing Silk production: Derby, England 1823

An engraving depicting Benjamin Franklin in his laboratory. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, polymath, author, printer, political theorist, politician, freemason and postmaster. Dated 19th century

Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) deposits the phone's patent on February 24, 1876 to the patent office of Washington, United States of America, engraving by Louis Figuier, taken from Les Nouvelles Conquetes de la Science and republished on L'Illustration, Journal Universel, year 41, volume LXXXII, no 2120, October 13, 1883.

Relieur Doreur, pl. III from 'Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire Raisonné des Sciences, des Arts et des Métiers', Engraving on paper, France, 1769, Print, Print

An engraving depicting the inside of a French bar. Dated 19th century

Operator sending a message on a Morse electric printing telegraph, 1887. Artist: Unknown

An engraving depicting a Nasmyth steam hammer in use. Dated 19th century

Illustration showing Elihu Thomson's electric welding process, powered by a Thomson/Houston dynamo, being demonstrated at the American Institute Fair, New York. 1897

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).

Illustration depicting worms and a grasshopper acting like humans. Dated 1840

Cutting and polishing flint glass (crystal) table wares. From Louis Figuier Les Grandes Inventions, Paris, 1876.

Encyclopedie. Edited by Denis Diderot and Jean Le Rond D'Alembert. Published, 1770. Plate 377. Printing. Presses.

Rene-Antoine Ferchault de Reamur (1683-1757) French physicist. He is shown constructing a thermometer using spirit instead of mercury, and his thermometer had 80 degrees from freezing to boiling point. From 'Vies des Savants Illustres du XVIIIe Siecle' by Louis Figuier. (Paris, 1874). Wood engraving.

An alchemist wearing a tall hat, sitting at a table containing his chemical instruments. Lithograph by H. Wood after F. Howard.

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).

THOMAS ALVA EDISON his laboratory at Menlo Park Date: 1880

Gobelins Manufactory, A job, vintage engraving. Gobelins Manufactory, A job, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1845. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10660507

Isaac Merrit Singer (1811-75), American inventor, while his friend George Zieber holds the candle, adjusting tension on his sewing machine in a last desperate attempt to make it work (August/September 1850). Machine patented 185.

Illustration showing Theodore Jones's alarm clock. Punch cartoon 1851

Project to cross the North Pole by balloon in 1890. Interior of the Sivel nacelle balloon basket of aeronauts Besançon and Hermite. Old XIX century engraved illustration from La Ilustracion Española y Americana 1890

Portable electrically powered fire extinguishers by Merryweathers, Greenwhich.

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

The legendary account of the invention of the telescope : Hans Lippershey's apprentices, playing with lenses, happen to hold two of them up together - the rest is history Date: 1590

Mercury vacuum pump being used to evacuate (exhaust) light bulbs on commercial scale c1883. Pump here is Geissler's as modified by Topler and was type used by the Swan Company. From R. Wormell 'Electricity in the Service of Man' London 1896. Engraving

$An engraving depicting an ophthalmic refractor. An apparatus for selecting appropriate lenses for patients. Each disk contained a selection of lenses and could be rotated: patient reads letters of sight test card through various lenses. Dated 19th century$

For the Paris World Fair, Eduard Loysel de Santais presents a pressure brewing apparatus, percolator, a coffee machine, 1855, woodcut, France, Europe

Experiments of the Physicians' Association of Mainz, 21 November 1803

Rembrandt (1606-1669) about to attend an anatomical lecture, 1867.Artist: C Bisschop

An engraving depicting the process of coining. Dated 19th century

A chemist with his apprentice in his laboratory. A copper alembic is on his left, to the right a sand heat and a furnace is in the middle. Date: 1827

Engraving depicting the making of Brie at the Maison-du-Val dairy in France. The process shown is the warming of the milk in a double-bottomed steam-heated pans before passing it to the cheese-making room where rennet was added. Dated 19th Century

Engraving depicting the firing of torpedoes electrically

Making recordings on Emile Berliner's Gramophone, c1887. Artist: Unknown

Michael Faraday (1791-1867) British chemist and physicist, lecturing at Royal Institution, London, where he succeeded Davy in 1827. After print by Maclise published c1835.

Astronomy: an astronomer in his study, looking out of the window with a telescope. Engraving by C. Grignion after S. Wale.

Interior of a pharmacy, the pharmacist and his apprentice at work. Engraving.

French druggist and grocer, 16th century. Engraving after an illustration by Jean de Vries in the 16th century. "Moeurs, usages et costumes au moyen-age et a l'epoque de la Renaissance", by Paul Lacroix. Paris, 1878.

Artificial hatching of hen eggs by the Baker method. Incubators room. Engraving. La Ilustración Española y Americana, 1878.

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

FARADAY, Michael (1791-1867). British chemist and physicist. Faraday in his laboratory. Painting. UNITED KINGDOM. ENGLAND. London. The British Museum.

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

The Invisible Woman and her secret unveiled, transfer of the voice of a invisible woman by a speaking tube. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1889

'Marie Jean Antoine Nicolas de Caritat, Marquis Condorcet, known as Nicolas Condorcet (1743-1794) French Revolutionary, mathematician, and political scientist, found dead inhis prison cell, 24 March 1794..'

Cartoon on aviation and ballooning. Dated 19th Century

Interior of the space capsule. From Jules Verne 'De la Terre a la Lune', Paris, 1865. Wood engraving.

Johannes Hevelius and his wife making astronomical obsrvations using a sextant. From his 'Machinae Coelestis', Danzig, 1673.

Diagram of James Hadden Young's Composing Machine: Channels at B) are filled with letters and blanks which are released when keys depressed, and descend to G) and thence to the composing stick, D). Second operator transfers a line at a time into the form E). In addition to the two women shown, the machine also required boys to refill channels with letters. Invented by James Hadden Young (1816-1861) a Scottish engineer and inventor. Dated 19th century

A corner of Pierre and Marie Curie's laboratory, Paris. Engraving published 1904

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

Watson demonstrates that the human body is an electrical machine by extracting an electric spark from the body of a youth. Date: 1745

First year students at L'Ecole Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, Paris, doing practical work in the laboratory. Wood engraving, Paris, 1887.

Cartoon depicting Dr Syntax showing a young lady the stars with a small telescope, while the manservant trips over the dog and falls headlong down the steps. Dated 19th Century

The process of gold and silver refining. Engraving, 1747.

Engraving depicting the Paris fish market during lent. Dated 19th century

Lavoisier in his laboratory conducting an experiment on the respiration of a man resting. Photogravure after M.A.P. Lavoisier.

Engraving depicting E. Barnard's Opsiometer for testing eyesight. Dated 19th century

Sketch by Frederic Villiers showing Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) US inventor and physicist at work in his laboratory. Edison was a prolific inventor and took out over 1000 patents, one of the most influential being the incandescent light bulb in 1879. Date: 1880

Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931), in his Menlo Park, New Jersey research laboratory. Ca. 1880

Encyclopedie. Edited by Denis Diderot and Jean Le Rond D'Alembert. Published, 1770. Plate 366. Paper manufacturers.

A cartoon commenting on the adulteration of milk. Dated 19th century

Operation performed with antiseptic precautions, using Lister carbolic acid spray. The two part device in the left foreground sprays steam mixed with carbolic acid over the surgical field. Ca. 1880.

Illustration showing Cooke and Wheatstone's double-needle telegraph. The Cooke and Wheatstone telegraph was an early electrical telegraph system dating from the 1830s invented by English inventor William Fothergill Cooke and English scientist Charles Wheatstone. It was the first telegraph system to be put into commercial service. 1870

An engraving depicting the process of cutting a diamond. Dated 19th century

$Cartoon depicting a pickpocket distracting his victim with a small refracting telescope. Illustrated by Thomas Hood (1799-1845) an English poet, author and humourist. Dated 19th century$

An engraving depicting a man using a roller to apply ink to type in a forme. Dated 19th century

people professions shoemaker shop copper engraving by Abraham Bosse France 17th century,

The rescue of the well digger Dufavel operated by the engineers in 1836. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1888

Artist's impression of the French physicist Denis Papin (1647-c1712) demonstrating his steam engine at Marburg, c1688. Engraving, Paris, c1870.

Illustration showing Blowing glass (left) and running plate glass for mirrors (right). From an 18th century English engraving

'Discovery of the Laws of Gravitation by Isaac Newton', 1897. Creator: John Leech.

Central Telephone Exchange, rue de Lafayette, Paris, staffed by female telephonists. From Louis Figuier 'Les Nouvelles Conquetes de la Science', Paris, 1883. Engraving.

Marquis de Jouffrey has a cylinder for his steam engine made by the tinker of Baume-les-Dames

The 1896 Vitascope movie projector in operation, 1897

Optics: lens grinders at work (top) and stages in grinding a lens with the tools used (below). Engraving by Benard after Lucotte.

The Market Assistant, Frontispiece. De Voe, Thomas F. (Thomas Farrington), 1811-1892. De Voe, Thomas F. (Thomas Farrington), 1811-1892. Frontispieces, Prints, Illustrations. 1867. Science, Industry and Business Library: General Collection. Food

'The Pewterer at work surrounded by examples of the objects he made, namely plates, dishes, pots, syringes, funnels, and worms fo stills. Hand-coloured woodcut from ''The Book of English Trades'', London, 1823.'

Michael Faraday (1791-1867) British chemist and physicist, lecturing on electricity and magnetism Royal Institution, London, 23 January 1846. Wood engraving.

An engraving depicting workers filling frames with liquid soap. Dated 19th century

Michael Faraday (1791-1867), scientist, lecturing at the Royal Institution, London, on his discoveries in magnetism and light. 1846

Loom for weaving stockings. Illustration. Plate 314. Encyclopedia. Edited by Denis Diderot (1713-1784) and Jean Le Rond d'Alembert (1717-1783). Published C. 1770. Engraving. Later colouration.

Engraving of elaborate machinery used for weighing gold coins, to ensure that the coin's weight is exactly right. Members of the public are observing the process, including two finely dressed ladies in bonnets and shawls. Date: 1845

Sir James Anderson explaining how the telegraph works to his guests, banquet on board the Great Eastern ship to celebrate the laying of the French transatlantic telegraph cable, Seehrness, United Kingdom, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 1373, Volume LIII, 19 June 1869.

Jeweller at his bench with leather covers. His tools include files, drills, hammer, pliers, wire drawer and crucible. Handcoloured woodcut engraving from The Book of English Trades and Library of the Useful Arts, Tabart, London, 1810.

A young girl is fascinated by the illusion of movement given by Reynaud's praxinoscope. Date: 1880

First tobacco experiments in the village school, historical engraving, 1869, Historic, digitally restored reproduction from a 19th century original, coloured, exact date unknown

An engraving depicting an ophthalmoscope being used to examine the eye. Dated 19th century

19th century, Brazier, hammering a silver plate after electroplating, to get the silver to adhere batter. Elkington & Co, silver manufacturer, Birmingham. English; illustration, 1844

Galileo calculates the magnification of his telescope

ANTOINE-LAURENT LAVOISIER French chemist & founder of modern chemistry. Depicted determining the composition of the atmosphere. Date: 1743 - 1794

Demonstration of physical experiments to explain the lightning strike / Vorführung phsikalischer Experimente zur Erklärung des Blitzschlages, 1799, historisch, C:CC5historical, digital improved reproduction of an original from the 19th century / digitale Reproduktion einer Originalvorlage aus dem 19. Jahrhundert, Originaldatum nicht bekannt.

Old airbrush from the late XIX century. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1893

Magnification and transcription of microscopic dispatches, arrived by pigeon.

Engraving showing the ships cook hard at work in the galley of the emigrant ship 'Indus', during the passage from Britain to Australia, 1872. 1872

Measuring window and scale

James Glaisher (1809 1903) English meteorologist, aeronaut and astronomer making observations in a balloon 1874

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