Geometric Model, Octant of a Wave Surface for Refraction in a Negative Biaxial Crystal, L. Brill or M. Schilling Ser.6 No.4 (Part), D41,4
date: label: date made
content: 1889
notes: label: Description
content: This is a white plaster model of an octant of a Fresnel wave surface for refraction in a biaxial crystal. It is bounded by part of a sphere on the outside and part of an ellipsoid on the inside. A grid of lines is indicated on both the inside and the outside. A tag on the model reads: D41,4. The model is the mirror image of 1982.0795.19.
label: Description
content: These two models form Series 6, No. 4 in the series of models produced by L. Brill and later M. Schilling. They are Brill's model 162 and Schilling's model 360.
label: Description
content: The model is part of a series designed under the direction of Alexander Brill at the technical high school in Munich and first published in Darmstadt in 1880.
label: Description
content: The Regents Reports of the University of Michigan (which have been digitized and are online) report that in 1887 the Regents approved the request of newly appointed mathematics Professor W.W. Beman to spend $500 on the purchase of "a full collection of models for teaching purposes, similar to those possessed by Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, Wellesley College, and other institutions. All the schools mentioned by name had models mad by Ludwig Brill of Darmstadt in Germany. Records of the Treasurer of the University of Michigan listing the property of the "Mathematics Laboratory" in the early 1900s indicate that on February 9, 1889, the University spent $414.55 on an order to L. Brill of Darmstadt. Further additions to the laboratory (with no vendor listed) took place in 1892-1893 (for $286) and the academic year ending June 30, 1900 ($275). These sums may cover further purchases from Brill and his successor F. Schilling. They also might represent sums spent on models of J. Schroeder (distributed in the U.S. by James W. Queen of Philadelphia) and C. Eberbach, a German-born instrument maker who immigrated to Ann Arbor and did extensive work for the scientific and medical laboratories of the university.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: University of Michigan, Proceedings of the Board of Regents 1886-1891, p. 189, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
label: Description
content: Treasurer of the University of Michigan, vol. 79, p. 163, BImuB8 Oversize, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
label: Description
content: L. Brill, <I>Catalog</I>, 1892, p. 13, 87.
label: Description
content: Francis A. Jenkins and Harvey E. White, <I>Fundamentals of Optics</I>, New York: McGraw Hill, 1976, pp. 553-555
label: Description
content: M. Schilling, <I>Catalog</I>, 1911, p. 13, 168.
label: Description
content: For another example of the model, with a reference to a related publication, see the Goettingen collection of mathematical models, model number 287.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Germany
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
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content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of the Department of Mathematics, The University of Michigan
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1982.0795.18
label: catalog number
content: 1982.0795.18
label: accession number
content: 1982.0795
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Geometric Model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plaster (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 11.8 cm x 12 cm x 8.7 cm; 4 21/32 in x 4 23/32 in x 3 7/16 in