Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
58.17 |
Object Name |
Furnace, Blast |
Title |
Model of Blast Furnace |
Artist |
Unknown |
Date |
1805 |
Description |
Truncated pyramid of mahogany, consisting of two identical interlocking halves. There is an oval aperture on the top, and holes at the bottom on all four sides. (Robert P. Multhauf, "Catalogue of Instruments and Models," 1961). |
Label |
This typical early 19th-century blast furnace design may have been a submission for the Magellanic Premium (2009.29). In 1786, Portuguese scientist Jean (or John) Hyacinth Magellan donated 200 guineas to the APS to establish a yearly scientific prize, known as the Magellanic Premium (or Prize) or the Magellanic Gold Medal. Magellan stipulated that premiums would be awarded for important discoveries or useful improvements in navigation, natural philosophy, and astronomy. Since the prize's inception, the APS has awarded just thirty-two premiums for innovations as diverse as "a theory of rain" (1836) and the Global Positioning System or GPS (1997). Blast furnaces were used to melt metals, especially iron for the creation of steel. Inventor Benjamin Dearborn, an APS member, may have constructed this model. |
Dimensions |
H-6 W-6 D-3.75 inches |
Credit line |
American Philosophical Society |
Search Terms |
19th century nineteenth century invention model |