Thunder-ship — Teylers Museum

Thunder-ship

1775 - 1799

In the eighteenth century, several models of houses, churches and ships were built to show the effect of lightning strokes and the benefits of lightning conductors. This ship is driven by a clock-work motor and “sails” with its mast (the top of which is missing) against a conductor of an electrostatic generator. This causes an electric discharge. The shock causes the mast to fall to pieces and the hatch to fall out of place. Sometimes, a bit of gunpowder was placed beneath the hatch, to imitate thunder.

Administration name

Fysisch Kabinet

Title

Thunder-ship

Translated title

Thunder-ship

Dating

[{'start': '1775', 'end_precision': u'', 'end': '1799', 'start_precision': u''}]

Measurements

[{'notes': u'', 'part': u'', 'type': u'', 'value': '45', 'unit': u''}, {'notes': u'', 'part': u'', 'type': u'', 'value': '31', 'unit': u''}, {'notes': u'', 'part': u'', 'type': u'', 'value': '60', 'unit': u''}, {'notes': u'', 'part': u'', 'type': u'', 'value': '531.6', 'unit': u''}]

Object number

FK 0516

Reproduction reference

[{'reference': '..\\images\\Fysisch\\Gekoppelde afbeeldingen\\FK 0516 (01).jpg'}]

Order image