Bowls like this one were used to catch the blood released by bleeding. The appearance of blood was a useful diagnostic tool for physicians, who examined it for clues about the body's internal state. This large bowl was…

A bald alchemist stands at his furnace on the right, stirring the contents of his crucible while reading a small book. His young apprentice stands by, attentively looking to the alchemist for guidance. Books and other…

This scene depicts tools and materials used both in alchemy and in art—most notably the large écorché figure placed on the alchemist's table, which was used by artists and students of human anatomy. A human skull,…

The alchemist sits in a small side chamber, absorbed by his readings, as his family works to prepare a meal in the open kitchen. Household and alchemical materials merge: a distillation apparatus sits on the hearth at…

Robert Boyle in long curled wig, white neck cravat and sleeves, black coat; seated facing right with head turned three quarters left, looking out; turning page of book with left hand and gesturing toward book with…

Translucent green, glass round-bottomed vase with heavy rainbow luster throughout. Base of the vase is round and then attaches to a vertical tube in the center, top of the tube has an ornamental curved design that…

Boron (atomic symbol B), a naturally occuring Earth element, was first isolated by Sir Humphry Davy and Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac and Louis Jacques Thénard in 1808. Tourmaline is a boron silicate. Opaque and black in…

Olivine is a mineral with a distinct green color and granular-shaped crystals. It is one of the first minerals to cool and crystallize from magma. Recently, olivine has been used as an alternative to silica sand and…

Iron gas burner for the production of small glassworks; ball and socket rotatable neck; two flame adjustment knobs; three-pronged foot. Adjusting the two knobs on the burner allows for the user to dial in the exact…

Meeker burners function the exact same way as Bunsen burners except that they are used for objects that require a wider flame base. The Meeker burner can produce more heat than a Bunsen burner and features a distinctive…

While its mineral name is halite, this substance is also commonly known as rock salt. Rock salt is composed of sodium chloride, an essential compound the human body uses to absorb nutrients and maintain blood pressure.

Fluorite (also called fluorspar) is the crystal form of the inorganic compound calcium fluoride. The term "fluorescence," a type of luminescence by a substance that has absorbed light or radiation, is derived from this…

Collection of 13 Aramith Bakelite billiard balls. Some billiard numbers are missing or duplicated.

Green cardboard box with removable top; interior of box bottom has a white plastic insert with round indentations for…

Celestine is a mineral with a light blue color. It is a source of the element strontium (atomic symbol Sr). Strontium compounds are commonly used in fireworks, fluorescent lights, and dyes and paints.

Calcite is one of the most widely used minerals. It is primarily composed of the chemical compound calcium carbonate. Calcite is also often used in demonstrations of double refraction, in which light is split into two…

Barium (atomic symbol Ba) is an alkaline Earth metal. Barite (also spelled baryte) is a mineral composed of barium sulfate. It is used in paints, inks, paper, and rubber. It is also used in radiology for diagnostic…

Amazonite is a potassium-based blue-green variety of microcline feldspar. Its color may be an indication of the presence of iron or lead. Amazonite has been used as a decorative gemstone in statues and jewelry.