December 2018 Picture of the Month

For the last Picture of the Month for 2018, I share an image from a project which I hope will dominate my researches through 2019. This elaborate Edwardian centrifugal Porter Governor was used to regulate and control the speed of large steam-powered mill engines. It evolved from an idea by the Dutch polymath Christiaan Huygens in the 17th century. Sophisticated governors are now used in all sorts of devices – usually out of sight – including cruise control on modern cars. Contax 645 c/w Phase One P45+ digital back, 210mm Zeiss Sonnar lens.