Museo Galileo
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Small cup for inflaming spirits
    • Setting:
      Room XI
    • Maker:
      unknown
    • Date:
      late 18th cent.
    • Materials:
      brass
    • Dimensions:
      total height 82 mm, diameter 66 mm
    • Inventory:
      466
    • Small cup for inflaming spirits (Inv. 466)

Shallow brass dish attached to a brass rod. When the device was attached to the prime conductor of an electrical machine, a spark would ignite the alcohol warmed in the dish. This experiment, first performed in 1744. Possibly associated with item inv. 516. Provenance: Lorraine collections.