Object number
88/35
Collection
Description
This is an oval metal egg tester with a fitted cardboard sheet which has an egg shaped hole in the centre. It was used to test eggs for fertility by holding them up to a light in a process called egg candling. The egg is fitted into the hole in the cardboard and, in a darkened room, a bright light is shone towards the egg, enabling the contents to become more visible in order to determine if the egg has been fertilised and a chick is growing inside. The tester is part of the Lucas Collection of objects and documents donated to the Museum by Mr Lucas, a farmer and dairyman from Reading, Berkshire.
Physical description
1 egg tester: metal; card; good condition- handle bent
Label Text
Egg tester. Egg testers are designed to check whether an egg has been fertilised with a chick or not. Having been placed in the device, the egg would be taken to a darkened room and have a light shone at it. This would enable the farmer to see inside the egg and detect whether a chick was growing. Traditionally, the candle would provide the light source. Therefore the process was know as 'egg candling'. The candling method is still the best method for determining whether an egg is fertilised without cracking it. However, modern egg farmers have strict controls in place to prevent unwanted fertilisation occurring.
Archival history
MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: EGG TESTER // Accession number: 88/35 // Classification: LIVESTOCK Poultry // Negative number: 60/15487 // Acquisition method: GIFT // Acquired from, date: H. B. LUCAS, [...], 10 June 1988 // Store: small object // Condition: good - handle bent // Recorder, date: JMB 3.3.89 // Description: Oval metal with central hole and a wire handle. On the back is a metal casing into which a cardboard sheet, with an egg shaped hole in the centre, can be fitted. // Dimensions: Length: 28.0cm Width: 12.5cm // Length of metal oval: 17.5cm // Associated information: Used to test eggs for fertility by holding them up to a light. // References:', MERL Miscellaneous note, Greta Bertram, 19 February 2014 – The Lucas Collection contains objects (88/23–88/43) and documents (D90/8/1–21) donated by Mr H. B. Lucas, a farmer and dairyman. Mr Lucas kept chickens, cows and pigs on his smallholding in Whitley Wood Road, Reading, and retired in 1971. The Lucas family farmed in a small way at Lane End Farm in Shinfield, Reading, from the end of the nineteenth century. Mr Lucas’ grandfather built Lane End House, and brought threshing machines to Berkshire, and his uncle was a threshing tackle contractor with premises opposite the farm. The objects in the Collection were used by Mr Lucas on his smallholding and in conjunction with his dairy business. The documents (now in the MERL Archives) consist of show catalogues for poultry and fancier's associations, prize certificates for eggs and poultry, record cards for egg production and newspaper cuttings about shows.
Object name
Material
Associated subject
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_15487.tif - High resolution image
