Indicators for specific gravity measurement (after V. Goldschmidt)

unsigned (Germany)
Set of 33 indicators (minerals, crystal fragments, glasses) arranged by specific gravity from 2.067 to 3.295 in a wooden box (13.3 x 10 cm) covered with boards. The box is divided in small compartments each with a label to determine the indicator. A manuscript leaf in the cover describes the contents of the box indicating the material, the specific gravity and the color and shape of the fragments.
Printed on the cover "Indicatoren | zur | Mechanischen | Gesteins – Analyse | nach Prof. V. Goldschmidt.", ca. end of 19th century.

In 1880 Victor Mordechai Goldschmidt (1853 – 1933) obtained his Ph.D. with a dissertation about the use of potassium mercury iodide solution to determine the specific gravity of minerals. The indicators were used to determine the specific gravity of the heavy liquid.

private collection







Reference:
offprint from "Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie", 1881. "Ueber Verwendbarkeit einer Kaliumquecksilberjodidlösung bei mineralogischen und petrographischen Untersuchungen", Stuttgart 1881.