Object Details
maker
Perkin, William Henry
Description
In 1856, while studying at the Royal College of Chemistry, William Henry Perkin spent his spring vacation in a crude laboratory in the attic of his house in East London. There he discovered that aniline, a colorless aromatic oil derived from coal tar, could be transformed into a black gunk that, when mixed with alcohol, would turn fabrics bright purple. With patent in hand, Perkin established the artificial dye industry. Wealth and honors followed soon thereafter. In 1906, while Perkins was in New York for a lavish celebration of the 50th anniversary of the coal tar industry, he visited William John Matheson, an American who imported artificial dyes and pigments, and probably gave him this memento at that time. Matheson gave this memento to the Smithsonian in 1928.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. William J. Matheson
Date made
1860
ID Number
CH.318499
catalog number
318499
accession number
103216
Object Name
dyed fabric, sample
Measurements
fabric strip: 7 in x 2 in; 17.78 cm x 5.08 cm
box: 1 in x 6 1/4 in x 11 in; 2.54 cm x 15.875 cm x 27.94 cm
overall; box: 1 3/8 in x 11 in x 6 1/4 in; 3.4925 cm x 27.94 cm x 15.875 cm
overall; glass, each: 4 3/16 in x 8 5/8 in x 1/8 in; 10.63625 cm x 21.9075 cm x .3175 cm
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Chemistry
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_2344