Salter Science Explained

Salter Science was a brand of science kits sold by Thomas Salter Ltd., a Scotland-based company which manufactured toys and science activity kits for children.[1] Kits included activities with electricity, microscopy, magnetism and crystal gardens, but the company is probably best known for their chemistry sets. The company also produced other items such as an "Adventure Kit" consisting of a water bottle, compass, toy binoculars and a real working camera. Some toys were related to TV series, such as the 'KOJAK' ACTION PACK and the PROFESSIONALS CRIMEBUSTER KIT. It also produced crafts plaster moulding sets Frog & Owl.[2]

Thomas Salter Ltd. was founded in London in 1913, moved to Glenrothes, Fife, and closed in 1992.[3]

Chemistry sets from Salter Science included a various number of chemicals, which were numbered, so that the numbers were the same across the sets. Some of the chemicals included were:

  1. Copper sulfate
  2. Sodium carbonate
  3. Calcium oxychloride
  4. Iron filings
  5. Calcium hydroxide
  6. Sodium hydrogen sulfate
  7. Tartaric acid
  8. Methyl orange
  9. Ferrous sulfate
  10. Ammonium carbonate
  11. Magnesium ribbon
  12. Copper wire
  13. Ammonium chloride
  14. Sodium thiosulfate
  15. Sodium perborate
  16. Cobalt chloride
  17. Potassium iodide
  18. Soluble starch
  19. Potassium iodate
  20. Sodium metabisulfite
  21. Carbon rods
  22. Sodium silicate
  23. Potassium persulfate
  24. Potassium chromate
  25. Zinc granulated

Also commonly included were small glass test tubes, a spatula, a funnel, corks with and without holes, glass tubes that would fit in the cork holes, a tiny glass saw to cut the tubes, a small bottle brush, test tube racks and a methylated spirit burner for heating.

The instruction manual told how to heat the glass tubes to make them bend, and also how to make them stretch and cut them in half using the glass saw in the middle of the stretch to make two pipettes.

Notes and References

  1. News: The Glasgow Herald – Google News Archive Search . 3 September 2014. The Glasgow Herald. p. 16. December 7, 1973.
  2. Web site: Chemistry set Salters National Trust Inventory Number 662097. National Trust Collections. 3 September 2014.
  3. Web site: Vintage Thomas Salter's 'Showjumping' Game, boxed 1960s. Worthpoint. 3 September 2014.