The structure of diamonds
Date
20 November 1722
Creator
John Sturt (1658 - 1730, British) , Engraver
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p13
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 240mm
width (page): 290mm
width (page): 290mm
Subject
Description
Nine engraved and etched figures. The original drawings can be found in Letter Book 15 (LBO/15/284). These are the figures as they were printed for the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, vol. 32, no. 374 (1723). They were engraved by John Sturt (signature on copper plate). Leeuwenhoek had the images drawn for him by an unknown artist.
From a letter by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek to James Jurin, the Secretary of the Royal Society.
Fig. 1: a crumb of a diamond observed with a microscope, which shows the layers.
Fig. 2: more clearly one can see here how the layers in the diamond are all on top of each other.
Fig. 3: another side of the diamond showing lines that are not layers.
Fig. 4: the size of the piece of diamond observed for figs 1-3.
Fig. 5: a bit of rock crystal with six sides.
Fig. 6: the same piece as in Fig. 5 but more enlarged showing the surface before polishing.
Fig. 7: not referred to in the text.
Fig. 8: a small part from the piece in Fig. 5, showing the perfectly smooth surface.
Fig. 9: the size of the crumb in figure 8.
From a letter by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek to James Jurin, the Secretary of the Royal Society.
Fig. 1: a crumb of a diamond observed with a microscope, which shows the layers.
Fig. 2: more clearly one can see here how the layers in the diamond are all on top of each other.
Fig. 3: another side of the diamond showing lines that are not layers.
Fig. 4: the size of the piece of diamond observed for figs 1-3.
Fig. 5: a bit of rock crystal with six sides.
Fig. 6: the same piece as in Fig. 5 but more enlarged showing the surface before polishing.
Fig. 7: not referred to in the text.
Fig. 8: a small part from the piece in Fig. 5, showing the perfectly smooth surface.
Fig. 9: the size of the crumb in figure 8.
Object history
Figures printed in Antoni Leeuwenhoek, 'De particulis et structura adamantum', Phil. Trans. vol. 32, no. 374 (1723), pp. 199-206.
Related fellows
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632 - 1723, Dutch) , Naturalist
James Jurin (1679 - 1750, British) , Physician
James Jurin (1679 - 1750, British) , Physician
Associated place