Metal hearts. A wooden box with five heart shaped cavities inside which are an iron, a copper, a brass and a lead heart. One is missing.

ABDNP:200118a

Unsigned but very similar to the specimen in the George III collection. Complete with ivory-sided compass with transparent base. Hinged box has cut-outs for five metal hearts, only four are contained in the box. Various non magnetic metals. Gold heart is missing, as usual. Hand-written label on lid '5 heart metals'.
This is a minor gaming piece in which the 'player' moves the metals into the slots in any chose way and then closes the lid. The operator runs the compass over the lid and knowing in which direction a magnet hidden within each heart is oriented can tell which heart is in which position. Illustrating the ability of a magnetic field to penetrate a non magentic material, namely the wooden box and the metals used.

George Adams Jnr. (probably)

1780-1795

wood, iron, copper, brass, lead
box 158mm x 158mm x 10mm

Physical Object