Abney Level
notes: label: Description
content: William de Wiveleslie Abney (1843–1920), an English scientist who made many important contributions to spectroscopy and photography, devised this level in the 1870s while working for the School of Military Engineering at Chatham. W. & L. E. Gurley described it as an English modification of the Locke hand level, noting that it gives angles of elevation "and is also divided for slopes, as 1 to 2, 2 to 1, etc."
label: Description
content: Since the main tube of this example is square, it can be applied to any plane surface. The clinometer scale is graduated to degrees, and read by vernier to 5 minutes. The inscription on the case reads "DIETZGEN."
label: Description
content: Ref: W. & L. E. Gurley, <i>A Manual of the Principal Instruments Used in American Engineering and Surveying</i> (Troy, N.Y., 1893), p. 228.
label: Description
content: C. Jones, "Sir William de Wiveleslie Abney, K.C.B., D.C.L., D.Sc., F.R.S., Hon. F.R.P.S., etc.," <i>The Photographic Journal</i> 61 (1921): 296–311.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: LaVerne Watkins
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1989.0403.13
label: catalog number
content: 1989.0403.13
label: accession number
content: 1989.0403
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Abney level
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: case: 6 7/8 in x 3 3/4 in x 1 3/4 in; 17.4625 cm x 9.525 cm x 4.445 cm
label: Measurements
content: level: 2 5/8 in x 6 in x 1 3/8 in; 6.6675 cm x 15.24 cm x 3.4925 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall in case: 7 in x 3 3/4 in x 1 5/8 in; 17.78 cm x 9.525 cm x 4.1275 cm