19th century blowpipe kit, 2000

Whipple Museum, Cambridge, England. 19th century brass blowpipe for chemical analysis, with alcohol burner. To use, the sample is placed on the marble(?) block. The user blows through the flared end of the blowpipe, directing air through the alcohol flame and on to the sample. Intensely heating the sample produces colors that aid in its identification. In addition, borax or soda ash (sodium carbonate) can be mixed with the sample before heating. The color of the resulting glass provides identification clues.