speculum metal

American  

noun

1. any of several bronze alloys with a high tin content, often containing other materials, as silver, brass, lead, zinc, or arsenic, used for making mirrors and reflectors.

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speculum metal British  

noun

1. a white hard brittle corrosion-resistant alloy of copper (55–70 per cent) and tin with smaller amounts of other metals. It takes a high polish and is used for mirrors, lamp reflectors, ornamental ware, etc

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Etymology

Origin of speculum metal

First recorded in 1790–1800

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

speculum metal

He was, however, so much annoyed by the treacherously brittle nature of the speculum metal that he abandoned its use, and betook himself to glass.

From Men of Invention and Industry by Samuel Smiles

L. M. Rutherfurd introduced into common use the reflection grating, finding that speculum metal was less trying than glass to the diamond point, upon the permanence of which so much depends.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 4 "Diameter" to "Dinarchus" by Various

The gratings are solid slabs of polished speculum metal ruled with lines equidistant by a special machine of Prof. Rowland's invention.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 365, December 30, 1882 by Various

Mr. Maudslay was interested in the idea I suggested; and he requested me to show him what I knew of the art of compounding the alloy called speculum metal.

From James Nasmyth: Engineer; an autobiography by Samuel Smiles

When completed, the disc of speculum metal was about six feet across and four inches thick.

From Great Astronomers by Sir Robert S. (Robert Stawell) Ball

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