Photo by David Friend Productions, San Diego, California
WINTER'S FRICTIONAL ELECTRICAL MACHINE BY SVANSTROM & Co.
10-013. Swedish, 4th quarter 19th century, with the maker's name "SVANSTROM & Co., STOCKHOLM" and the retailer's name "C.L. HOLM, MEKANIKER, STOCKHOLM" cast into the base. The apparatus stands 15 3/4" high overall, with a single 12" diameter rotating glass disk mounted on a insulating glass rod between 9 3/8" tall black painted wood supports, on the 18" x 13" decorative cast iron base. A glass insulating rod holds the lacquered brass accumulating sphere and pick-off (there is a hole in the top of the sphere for a simple discharge rod & ball, which is not present); a pair of leather-faced friction pads in a brass clamp is mounted in the center of the base; and a black painted wood crank handle operates the apparatus. This attractive Winter's frictional electrical machine is in very good display condition; however, it will probably need new leather pads to make it work well.
