Jowlabar · Chemical Engineering
A shallow wooden box with a hinged lid that opens with two clasps on the front, The wood is a medium brown, with a veneer on the masonite top, and the underside of the bottom is bare masonite.
The interior of the box is laid out in a 4 by 5 grid, with separators made of masonite. The inside of the lid has a paper label that is the size of the lid, which has a large diagram that details the type and location of the different model parts. The kit contains models for eight elements. Some of the elements come in different shapes, to allow for the formation of multiple bonds. There are several molecular models currently constructed in the box.
The element models are made of plastic and can be connected by the included bronze connectors. There are 9 sulfur, coloured yellow; 21 oxygen, light blue; 37 nitrogen, dark blue; 34 hydrogen, orange; 7 chlorine, green; 6 bromine, tan; 2 iodine, brown; 65 carbon, black; one miscellaneous grey. There are bronze snap-on connectors to attach the model pieces; there are 42 loose connectors and many more currently used in molecular models. There is also a bronze tool that is shaped like a flat wrench, and that seems to be a separator for prying the pieces apart.
It is noted that some of the pieces, including the miscellaneous grey, appear to come from a different, but related, set, as they are made of painted wood.
Accession Number: 2018.che.135
Alternative Name:
Primary Materials: Wood, Masonite, Plastic, Bronze.
Front plaque of box: “Fisher Scientific / Made in U.S.A.”
Label on the inside of the lid: “Cat. No.12-821 Fisher – Hirschfelder – Taylor U. S. Pat. No 2,308,402 / Atom Model Kit”, … “Headquarters for Laboratory Supplies / Fisher Scientific Company / Made in U.S.A.”
Height = 7.0, Width = 39.7, Length= 36.4.
This kit is used to create models of organic molecules.
The exterior of the box is in good condition, with minor scuff marks on the wooden front and several scratches on the masonite top. The back hinges are covered in rust and the front latches are speckled with rust. The lid does not close all the way.
The paper label on the interior of the lid is scratched in three places and is browned with age. The dividers in the body of the box have a few scratches and some excess glue.
The plastic model pieces are in excellent condition, but the wooden pieces have some paint flaking off. The bronze connectors are tarnished.
Associated Instruments:
Manufacturer: Fisher Scientific Company
Date of Manufacture: c. 1940s
This artifact was acquired by the UTSIC collection from the University of Toronto Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry on June 15, 2018.
Additional Information and References:
Historical Notes:
- Donated to UTSIC