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Thermometer in a mahogany case, made by Adams of Fleet Street, 1811
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SM BR2. ©Sir John Soane's Museum, London. Photo: Lewis Bush
Thermometer in a mahogany case, made by Adams of Fleet Street, 1811
Mahogany with glass and engraved brass
Height: 10 in
Museum number: BR2
On display: North Drawing Room
All spaces are in No. 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields unless identified as in No. 12, Soane's first house.
For tours https://www.soane.org/your-visit
Curatorial note
This thermometer was manufactured by Dudley Adams of 60 Fleet Street, London, 'Globe and Mathematical Instrument maker to the King'. The bill, dated 5 January 1811, in the Soane Archive [SM Archives: Papers connected with purchases / item 2], describes it as 'A Thermometer with Fahrenheit's & Reaumur's Scale in a mahogany frame. £1.16.0'. Interestingly the bill seems to be addressed to 'Mrs Soane'.
'Reaumur's scale' is a reference to the French Reaumur scale, also known as the "octogesimal division', a temperature scale in which the freezing and boiling points of water are set to 0 and 80 degrees respectively. It is named after the Frenchman René-Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur, who first proposed something similar in 1730.
'Reaumur's scale' is a reference to the French Reaumur scale, also known as the "octogesimal division', a temperature scale in which the freezing and boiling points of water are set to 0 and 80 degrees respectively. It is named after the Frenchman René-Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur, who first proposed something similar in 1730.
Soane collections online is being continually updated. If you wish to find out more or if you have any further information about this object please contact us: worksofart@soane.org.uk