1870s Collection (#85)

Enema and stomach pump, circa 1870 C018 / 0374
Nineteenth century enema and stomach pump made from wood, metal, and rubber (in a wooden case). An enema is a syringe-like device used to evacuate the lower intestinal tract through introducing

Bell telephone, historical artwork C017 / 6918
Bell telephone, 19th-century artwork. The telephone was developed in the 1870s, with several inventors pioneering the technology

Three monaural stethoscopes, circa 1870 C017 / 6956
Three two-piece monaural stethoscopes made from ivorine and nickel (left), ebony (centre) and gutta percha and rubber (right)

Anthropometric rule, circa 1870 C017 / 0743
Boxwood anthropometric rule. Anthropometry was a system developed in the late nineteenth century by the French biometrics pioneer, Alphonse Bertillon (1853-1914)

Paris Observatory meridian circle, Paris, France. This instrument, also called a transit circle, is used to observe the moment a star or other celestial object passes the meridian

Camera and steam power, 1871
Camera and steam power. 19th-century artwork of a crowd of people queuing to be photographed by a large camera, with a steam engine (steam visible) behind it

James Buchanan Eads, US civil engineer
James Buchanan Eads (1820-1887), US civil engineer. Eads worked in salvage on the Mississippi, then built ironclad warships during the US Civil War

Julius Hilgard, German-US surveyor
Julius Erasmus Hilgard (1825-1890), German-US surveyor. Hilgard and his family settled in rural Illinois in 1835. After studying engineering

Charles Henry Nichols, US physician
Charles Henry Nichols (1820-1889), US physician. Nichols was superintendent of the Government Hospital for the Insane, Washington DC, later known as St Elizabeths Hospital

Abram Hewitt, US industrialist
Abram Stevens Hewitt (1822-1903), US industrialist and politician. Hewitt studied at Columbia College in New York, before becoming a lawyer

Chemistry experiment, 19th century
Chemistry experiment, 19th-century artwork. The apparatus at left is being used for distillation, with gas-fuelled bunsen burner at far left heating liquids in glass retorts

Dental hygiene set, circa 1870 C017 / 8407
Comprehensive dental hygiene set in a morocco case. The set includes an inspection mirror, steel tools, and ivory handles

Dental saw, circa 1870 C017 / 8399
Dental saw with ebony handle dating from around 1870, England. Dental saws were used in early dentistry to create separations between the teeth

Seven dental tools, circa 1870 C017 / 8394
Seven dental tools with ebony handles in their case. These date from around 1870. The nineteenth century was a period of rapid progression in the field of dentistry

Mouth gag, circa 1870 C017 / 8385
Steel mouth gag with a cross hatched ebony handle. This would have been used to pry open the mouths of patients with lock-jaw or to hold the jaw in position for tooth extraction

Two dental mirrors, circa 1870 C017 / 8366
Two concave mirrors for dental hygiene, one is made from ivory and the other from wood. The nineteenth century was a period of rapid progression in the field of dentistry and dental hygiene

Muybridge motion study, 1870s C016 / 4563
Muybridge motion study. Series of early photographs showing the motion of a race horse harnessed to a sulky (racing cart) and demonstrating a trotting gait

Muybridge motion study, 1870s C016 / 4562
Muybridge motion study. Series of early photographs showing the motion of an athlete carrying out a walking leap over a hurdle

Sphinx, Egyptian pyramids, 19th century C016 / 2387
Sphinx and pyramids, Giza Necropolis, Egypt. These 26th-century BC structures are made from limestone, with granite also used in the pyramids (tombs for the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt: Khafre)

Isaac Ray, US psychiatrist C014 / 0124
Isaac Ray (1807-1881), US psychiatrist. Ray specialised in insanity and its applications in forensic psychiatry. This discipline, of which he was one of the founders

William Jenner, British physician
William Jenner (1815" 1898), British physician, in a caricature published in the British weekly magazine Vanity Fair in 1873. Jenner studied medicine in London, where he worked as a doctor

Statue of Captain Sir Eyre Massey Shaw
Bronze statue of Captain Sir Eyre Massey Shaw (1828-1908) about 18 inches high, by Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. The statue is kept in the dining room of the Massey Shaw Suite

Steam-operated fire pump, Paris
Steam-operated fire pump, as used by the Paris fire brigade. It was built by A Thirion and photographed by Berthaud

Wood engraving, American, c1875
MOTHER AND TWINS, c1875. Wood engraving, American, c1875

A young Irish immigrant in San Francisco, California, landing a blow on a Chinese immigrant outside a saloon
IMMIGRANTS: CHINESE, 1870s. A young Irish immigrant in San Francisco, California, landing a blow on a Chinese immigrant outside a saloon. American engraving, 1870s

A Japanese drawing of the stalk and leaves of the take bamboo plant
JAPAN: BAMBOO, c1870s. A Japanese drawing of the stalk and leaves of the take bamboo plant

17th President of the United States. Photograph from the Mathew Brady Studio, 1860s or 1870s
ANDREW JOHNSON (1808-1875). 17th President of the United States. Photograph from the Mathew Brady Studio, 1860s or 1870s

(1822-1893). Contemporary color engraving
RUTHERFORD B. HAYES (1822-1893). Contemporary color engraving

(1822-1893): photograph, n. d
RUTHERFORD B. HAYES (1822-1893): photograph, n.d

Robert T. Lincoln
ROBERT T. LINCOLN (1843-1926). American lawyer; son of Abraham Lincoln. Photographed c1870-80

AMERICAN CADET, c1870. Portrait of an American soldier, probably a cadet at a military academy. Original carte-de-visite photograph, c1870

PENMANSHIP, 19th CENTURY. Position while Writing. Wood engraving, English or American, c1870s

OIL: EARLY DRILLING. Borer supervising the lift and drop of the cable tools which pound the well. Wood engraving, American, c1870s

NEW YORK: BROADWAY, 1870s. Broadway and Vesey Street at St. Pauls Chapel, right. Wood engraving, American, 1870s

BOSTON: BOOKSTORE, c1870s. The Old Corner Bookstore on the corner of Washington and School Streets, Boston, Massachusetts. Wood engraving, c1870s

LOCOMOTIVE ROUNDHOUSE. A locomotive leaves the roundhouse in a railroad yard. Banknote steel engraving, American, c1870s

REVOLVER, 19th CENTURY. The New Army Revolver manufactured by Merwin, Hulbert and Company. Line engraving, American, 1870s or 1880s

REVOLVERS, 19th CENTURY. Two revolvers manufactured by the American company Merwin, Hultert and Co. Line engraving, 1870s or 1880s

PISTOL, 19th CENTURY. The Derringer pocket pistol. Line engraving, American, 1870s or 1880s

REVOLVERS, 19th CENTURY. 5-shot and 7-shot revolvers. Line engraving, American, 1870s or 1880s

ITALIAN BATTLESHIP, 1870s. Cross section of the Italian battleship Caio Duilio, built in the 1870s. Contemporary wood engraving

FIRST JOB, 19th CENTURY. A junior clerk receives his first weeks wages. Wood engraving, English for a story for boys, c1870s

NEW YORK STATE: HOUSE. Residence of Cyrus W. Field in Irvington-on-Hudson, New York. Wood engraving, c1876

GIRLS AND DONKEYS, c1870. Dobbins Breakfast. Wood engraving, English, for children, c1870s

MOVING DAY, 19th CENTURY. Illustration, American, c1870s

NEWPORT: VILLA, 1870s. Residence of General Potter. A Newport, Rhode Island villa. Wood engraving, 1870s

STATE DEPARTMENT, c1880. The United States Department of State in Washington, D. C
STATE DEPARTMENT, c1880. The United States Department of State in Washington, D.C. Wood engraving, American, late 1870s

U. S. CAPITOL, 1870s. The United States Capitol and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D. C
U.S. CAPITOL, 1870s. The United States Capitol and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. Wood engraving, English, 1870s

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Step back in time with these captivating glimpses into the 1870s. Delve into history as you explore an antique map of the Roman Empire, tracing the footsteps of ancient civilizations. Transport yourself to Britain under the Anglo Saxons, discovering their rich heritage through another vintage map. Immerse yourself in literature as you encounter Charles Dickens, a literary genius whose legacy lives on. Marvel at "Dickens Dream, " an unfinished oil painting by Robert William Buss that captures the essence of this iconic English novelist. Embark on a journey through Scotland and England with maps from the 1870s, witnessing how landscapes have evolved over centuries. Discover Vancouver Island's allure through a mesmerizing map that reveals its unspoiled beauty during this era. Education takes center stage as we glimpse into Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine during the 1870s—a hub of knowledge and intellectual growth. Explore Ireland's intricate geography through yet another fascinating map from this decade. Marvel at celestial mechanics depicted in medieval artwork—an awe-inspiring fusion of science and artistry that showcases humanity's fascination with the cosmos throughout history. Travel across oceans to New Zealand and Newfoundland—two distant lands brought closer by antique maps from the 19th century. Witness Europe's dynamic political landscape unfold before your eyes with a detailed map capturing its intricacies during this transformative period. They were an era brimming with exploration, creativity, and intellectual pursuits—a time when cartography merged artistry and science to create timeless artifacts that continue to captivate us today.