"The gold leaves are gummed on the two sides of a flat piece of metal carried by a stout stem, which passes through the top of a glass shade and ends in a flat disc. By means of this disc we may convert the instrument into Volta's condensing electroscope." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

Bennets Electroscope

"The gold leaves are gummed on the two sides of a flat piece of metal carried by a stout stem, which…

"In the gold-leaf electroscope (invented by Bennet in 1787), two light strips of gold-leaf hang from the lower end of a metal rod, which passes vertically through an opening in the top of a glass bottle and expands above into a plate. If a piece of rubbed sealing-wax or other electrified body be brought near the plate, the gold leaves will repel each other and diverge ... A cylinder of wire gauze placed just inside the glass case, improves the action of the instrument." -Hazeltine, 1894

Gold Leaf Electroscope

"In the gold-leaf electroscope (invented by Bennet in 1787), two light strips of gold-leaf hang from…