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Remembered primarily for his popularization of the "Wheatstone Bridge", the first device to accurately measure electrical resistance, Wheatstone was one of the nineteenth-century's most respected scientists, making important contributions in a wide variety of fields. In 1834, "he used a revolving mirror in an experiment to measure the speed of electricity in a conductor. The same revolving mirror, by his suggestion, was later used in measurements of the speed of light... His own inventions include the concertina, a type of small accordion, and the stereoscope, a device for observing pictures in three dimensions still used in viewing X-rays and aerial photographs. He initiated the use of electromagnets in electric generators and invented the Playfair cipher, which is based on substituting different pairs of letters for paired letters in the message" (Britannica). |
| WHEATSTONE, Sir Charles. The Scientific Papers of Sir
Charles Wheatstone. London: Taylor and Francis for the Physical Society
of London, 1879. Octavo, 20th-century full brown calf in antique style.
$1100. First and only edition of The Scientific Papers of Sir Charles Wheatstone. The comprehensive collection, appearing four years after Wheatstone's death, contains all of his published scientific work, including his celebrated contributions to the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, as well as papers and reports originally appearing in more obscure journals and pamphlets. Illustrated with 21 lithographic plates, 3 of which are folding, and illustrations throughout the text. Some foxing to the last four plates, otherwise fine. |