19th century scientific instrument advertising / Paolo Brenni.
Abstract:
The first printed scientific instrument advertisings date back to the late 17th century. Trade cards, simple catalogues, classified advertising were common in the 18th century. However scientific instrument advertising became more sophisticated and aggressive during the 19th century. Instrument makers published large and illustrated trade catalogues, while an increasing number of advertisements appeared in scientific treatises and journals. Furthermore, in the second half of the century universal exhibitions and specialised fairs became the ideal places for displaying industrial products in front of a large audience. At the same time, several makers organised their own showrooms, where they exhibited and demonstrated their apparatus. In this article I illustrate the various forms of instrument advertising during the 19th century and I try to analyse their impact on the scientific instruments trade and on the development of precision industry
Nuncius A. 17, fasc. 2 (2002), p. 497-513