Ferranti rubs shoulders with Da Vinci
Date published: 03 December 2009
Oldham inventor’s work showcased at major exhibition
A device designed by a 19th century Oldham inventor is among several new collection items unveiled by Manchester Museum of Science and Industry.
It forms part of the new Da Vinci — The Genius exhibition which demonstrates Manchester’s links to the great Italian master.
The gyroscopic stabiliser designed by Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti — the engineer who pioneered Britain’s modern electricity system — is on display alongside 65 machines created from Leonardo Da Vinci’s original designs of objects related to engineering, transport, water, the military, music and anatomy.
Ferranti (who was himself descended from two doges of Venice) opened a factory in Hollinwood in 1896, which continued manufacturing electrical and military goods until 1993.
Other objects on display include John Benjamin Dancer’s gyroscope, part of a turret clock made by William Bailey of Patricroft, Salford, and a thread cutting machine made by J Carter & Co of Salford.
The Da Vinci machines in the exhibition have been hand-crafted by Italian artisans and include forerunners to the helicopter, military tank and the car — which only became a reality hundreds of years later. It is the most comprehensive travelling exhibition ever created on Leonardo Da Vinci.
Steve Davies, director of MOSI, said: “For over 200 years Manchester has been a major centre of invention and innovation, so it is an absolutely appropriate setting for an exhibition about Leonardo da Vinci and his amazing inventions.
“We have included some of our own collections which demonstrate the role that people in Manchester had in developing science and engineering.”
The exhibition also features the UK premiere of Pascal Cotte’s fascinating work to uncover the original colours of the Mona Lisa, as well as sections on The Last Supper and the Vitruvian Man.
The exhibition runs until June at the museum in Liverpool Road. Ticket prices are £7.50 for adults, £5 for concessions or £20 for a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children).
