The Cathode Ray Tube site
electronic glassware
History and Physics Instruments
electronic glassware
History and Physics Instruments
Crookes tubes
Radiant matter
The first page
Radiant matter
The first page
Crookes mineral tube
Crookes Cathode ray deflecting tube.
made by Pressler
made by Pressler
Activated tube
Crookes Maltese Cross tubes
In front a small early (French?) modell with the cross falling backwards, in the back a Pressler tube with the cross falling to the front.
In front a small early (French?) modell with the cross falling backwards, in the back a Pressler tube with the cross falling to the front.
The Maltese Cross tube (Crookes nr 9)
This is one of the most famous Crookes tubes.
The tube demonstrates that electrons go in a straight line
and don't go through metal. The cross can actually lay
down and stand up (mechanically). When the cross lies
down, the glass face of the tube emits a green glow when
the electrons strike the glass wall, when it's right up you
will see the shadow of the cross.
After a while due to fatigue of the glass the glow is less
strong, when the cross is tipped over at that time, the
previous unexposed glass glows brighter than the
surrounding glass.
This is one of the most famous Crookes tubes.
The tube demonstrates that electrons go in a straight line
and don't go through metal. The cross can actually lay
down and stand up (mechanically). When the cross lies
down, the glass face of the tube emits a green glow when
the electrons strike the glass wall, when it's right up you
will see the shadow of the cross.
After a while due to fatigue of the glass the glow is less
strong, when the cross is tipped over at that time, the
previous unexposed glass glows brighter than the
surrounding glass.
The Cathode ray deflecting tube (Crookes nr 14)
demonstrates the influence of a magnetic field to the
electron beam. The visible beam appears on the
aluminum sheet covered with phosphor, will bent away
from the center when a magnet is held near the tube.
This phenomena was discovered by Julius Plücker and
Johann Wilhelm Hittorf. Plücker published it in the
Poggendorffs annalen der Physik und Chemie 1858.
demonstrates the influence of a magnetic field to the
electron beam. The visible beam appears on the
aluminum sheet covered with phosphor, will bent away
from the center when a magnet is held near the tube.
This phenomena was discovered by Julius Plücker and
Johann Wilhelm Hittorf. Plücker published it in the
Poggendorffs annalen der Physik und Chemie 1858.
Mineral tubes (Crookes nr 4)
After Crookes his first announcement in 1879 he made a second one in 1881 about
the fluorescent and phosphorescent properties of different materials in his (pdf)
article Discontinuous Phosphorescent Spectra in High Vacua.
Some minerals glow beautiful due to their fluorescent or phosphorescent behavior
when the tube is activated, phosphorescent means that the glow still continues for a
while if the excitation stops. Different samples of fluorescent minerals, shells, coral,
gemstones but even rubies and diamonds were used.
Another research from C.Doelter can be read in this (pdf) German article from 1911.
Here is a list of some common used minerals in Crookes tubes.
Color mineral
red calcite
yellow apatite
bright green willemite
blue scheelite
brown dolemite
violet magnesite
After Crookes his first announcement in 1879 he made a second one in 1881 about
the fluorescent and phosphorescent properties of different materials in his (pdf)
article Discontinuous Phosphorescent Spectra in High Vacua.
Some minerals glow beautiful due to their fluorescent or phosphorescent behavior
when the tube is activated, phosphorescent means that the glow still continues for a
while if the excitation stops. Different samples of fluorescent minerals, shells, coral,
gemstones but even rubies and diamonds were used.
Another research from C.Doelter can be read in this (pdf) German article from 1911.
Here is a list of some common used minerals in Crookes tubes.
Color mineral
red calcite
yellow apatite
bright green willemite
blue scheelite
brown dolemite
violet magnesite
Activated sample
Johann Wilhelm Hittorf
1824 - 1914
1824 - 1914
Look here on
for a great demonstration of
this tubes by Alastair Wright.
Sir William Crookes (1832-1919)
Crookes paved the way for many discoveries. He worked as a Scientist in his own laboratory in London where he did all of his research and developed a range of different types of high vacuum tubes.
In "On radiant matter", a lecture to the British Association for the Advancement of Science at Sheffield, Friday August 22 1879.
Crookes demonstrated 19 different tubes and discussed the fourth state of matter, plasma.
Many Crookes tubes stood at the base of further discoveries like the X-ray tube and the Braun tube which developed later on into our well known TV tube.
Look here for a complete publication of William Crookes his work in the New York Times newspaper.
A biography of Crookes can be found here.
Johann Willhelm Hittorf (1824-1914)
A German Physicist who studied in Bonn under Julius Plücker was the
German counterpart of William Crookes. In his early days at the Münster
Academy Hittorf had to made much of his own tools and instruments due
to a lack of availability and limited money of the Academy.
In this research lab he did extensive research on gas discharges and made
tubes with "absolute vacuum" as early as 1865. He showed them to
Geissler (before his publication in 1869) who replicated and sold these tubes.
Hittorf discovered even before Crookes in 1869 that the rays traveled in a
straight line and that the intensity of the rays gained with a lowering pressure. He also noticed the shadow on the glass wall when there was an obstruction the the path of the ray. Both Crookes and Hittorff were important researchers and shared knowledge on this subject.
[101, 56]
Crookes paved the way for many discoveries. He worked as a Scientist in his own laboratory in London where he did all of his research and developed a range of different types of high vacuum tubes.
In "On radiant matter", a lecture to the British Association for the Advancement of Science at Sheffield, Friday August 22 1879.
Crookes demonstrated 19 different tubes and discussed the fourth state of matter, plasma.
Many Crookes tubes stood at the base of further discoveries like the X-ray tube and the Braun tube which developed later on into our well known TV tube.
Look here for a complete publication of William Crookes his work in the New York Times newspaper.
A biography of Crookes can be found here.
Johann Willhelm Hittorf (1824-1914)
A German Physicist who studied in Bonn under Julius Plücker was the
German counterpart of William Crookes. In his early days at the Münster
Academy Hittorf had to made much of his own tools and instruments due
to a lack of availability and limited money of the Academy.
In this research lab he did extensive research on gas discharges and made
tubes with "absolute vacuum" as early as 1865. He showed them to
Geissler (before his publication in 1869) who replicated and sold these tubes.
Hittorf discovered even before Crookes in 1869 that the rays traveled in a
straight line and that the intensity of the rays gained with a lowering pressure. He also noticed the shadow on the glass wall when there was an obstruction the the path of the ray. Both Crookes and Hittorff were important researchers and shared knowledge on this subject.
[101, 56]
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Third
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Glass tube workshop of A.C. Cossor 1896.
(picture courtesy of Alastair Wright)
(picture courtesy of Alastair Wright)
To the left the workshop of Alfred Charles Cossor in
Clerkenwell London which would later became a
leading British valve manufacturer.
This photograph is made in 1896 while some of his
workers (children!) preparing the glass tubes. Cossor
was that time the only British firm who could make the
first X-Ray tubes which were higher qualified than the
common Crookes tubes and made the first British Braun
tubes in 1902.
Clerkenwell London which would later became a
leading British valve manufacturer.
This photograph is made in 1896 while some of his
workers (children!) preparing the glass tubes. Cossor
was that time the only British firm who could make the
first X-Ray tubes which were higher qualified than the
common Crookes tubes and made the first British Braun
tubes in 1902.
Maltese Cross tube early 20th Century
Notice the difference of Anode connection placement compared to the other models.
Notice the difference of Anode connection placement compared to the other models.
Mineral and shell samples light up under influence of Cathode ray's.
Crookes tubes with minerals and shells
made by Pressler
made by Pressler
Crookes mineral egg tube (Crookes nr 4) demonstrate the
fluorescent behavior of stone and shell minerals or even
mineral sand. This kind of tubes were made in different sizes.
fluorescent behavior of stone and shell minerals or even
mineral sand. This kind of tubes were made in different sizes.
Crookes mineral tube
This is an early tube with lime sample from the late 19th century. The mineral is Fluorescent and Phosphorescent.
This is an early tube with lime sample from the late 19th century. The mineral is Fluorescent and Phosphorescent.
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Early maltese cross tube
This tube is made late 19th century with platinum wire connections and blue glass electrode sealings.
This tube is made late 19th century with platinum wire connections and blue glass electrode sealings.
Small 15cm mineral tube.
Activated tube
The tube is filled with fluorescent and phosphorescent willemite minerals which glow very bright apple green.
The tube is filled with fluorescent and phosphorescent willemite minerals which glow very bright apple green.
Afterglow of the minerals
A similar tube is displayed in the French 1869 Physics book from Dechanel.
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Sir William Crookes
1832 -1919
1832 -1919
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List of Crookes tubes sold by Queen & Co 1888 after the
demonstration of William Crookes in Sheffield in 1879.
Notice the missing of No.3 which is a mineral tube like No.4 containing a diamant which fluorescenced bright green. These kind of expensive minerals were only made on special order. No.20 is the same tube as No.19. No.10 same as No.9. demonstration of William Crookes in Sheffield in 1879.
The numbers in the catalogues corresponding to the figure drawings in the lecture.
The beam is deflected by use of a magnet