We have always considered and collected these commercial masks and helmets as industries tribal art. Examples can be elegant in their simplicity or bazaar and complex. They are always unique, suprising and filled with personality.
Grenet Cell Battery Set – c.1880s Laboratory Power in Glass
A striking matched set of five 19th-century Grenet Cells, these elegant glass batteries once powered the earliest experiments in electricity, from classroom circuits to spark coils and telegraph tests. Each cell features the classic hand-blown glass bulb with a central zinc plate flanked by dual carbon rods, all suspended beneath heavy brass tops fitted with knurled terminal screws. Designed to operate on potassium dichromate and dilute sulfuric acid, Grenet cells were a mainstay of Victorian-era science and a fixture in demonstration halls and private laboratories. This rare grouping ranges in height from approx. 7 to 11 inches and remains in remarkable condition—free from cracks, with internal electrodes and original hardware patina. A rare opportunity to own not just a single relic, but a laboratory set worthy of display.
Large Cell ... $800 each
Medium Cell ... $600 each
Small Cell ... $400 each
