Part of a collection of instruments belonging to Professor Gian Pietro Radicati (Professor of Experimental Physics in Cagliari from 1853 to 1871), it was donated to the museum by his heirs as can be seen from a note in the inventory register.
One similar to this in all details, it too manufactured in London but by another manufacturer, is to be found in the Museum of the History of Science in Florence and is dated 1700.