Large singing flame apparatus, after Schaffgotsch — Teylers Museum

Large singing flame apparatus, after Schaffgotsch

n the 19th century this instrument was called a ‘singing flame’ or ‘chemical harmonica’. The heart of the instrument is a burner, running on coal gas or hydrogen. An open glass tube, serving as a kind of chimney, was placed over the flame. Air was sucked in by the heat of the flame, which made the air column vibrate in the same way as an organ pipe. The pitch of the produced tone varies with the dimensions of the tube. In order to observe the oscillations of the flame a fast rotating mirror is required. This principle was devised in 1857 by the German Slaffgotsch, who called the device a ‘Tonflammenapparat’. The apparatus was bought for the Teylers Museum in 1864.

Administration name

Fysisch Kabinet

Title

Large singing flame apparatus, after Schaffgotsch

Translated title

Large singing flame apparatus, after Schaffgotsch

Creator

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Object number

FK 0237

Order image