The sitter faces the viewer’s right in three-quarter view. He has a receding hairline with short, thin, graying hair and a prominent brow, and his right ear is visible. He is dressed in a dark overcoat and white cravat, positioned against a dark, somewhat modulated background.

Rectangular wood dial covered with paper consisting of two leaves that fold flat. The dial is surrounded by a decorative border with a floral pattern. String gnomon (no longer extant) would attach between the inner surfaces of the two leaves. Exterior top: list of cities in the Americas, Italy, France, Spain, and Germany along with sundial's numerical position. Interior: sundial base and embedded compass (no longer functioning).

This telescope consists of a 35" brass tube with a 2.95" aperture, and focal length of approximately 25". There is an integral folding brass stand, for use on a table. There are two terrestrial and four astronomical eyepieces, all of the Huygens type, the use of which is described in an instruction sheet affixed to the box. The small intermediate lens, a cemented doublet of 1.4" characteristic of this type of telescope, is located within the tube. The instrument is Inscribed: "Dialytical telescope for the use of the American Philosophical Society held at Philadelphia. Invented 1832 and made by S. Plösel in Vienna the 1 of August 1834." (Robert P. Multhauf, "Catalogue of Instruments and Models," 1961).

Brass construction, mahogany covered, one telescoping section. 1 5/8" aperture. Length 20" closed, 35 1/2" extended. Marked "Blunt, Cornhill, London." (Robert P. Multhauf, "Catalogue of Instruments and Models," 1961).

Two blocks of wood, hinged to be closed for carrying. A compass is set in the lower block. Both blocks are scaled to the gnomon which is a thread extending diagonally between them. The cover block has on its exterior surface a rotatable wooden disc with pointer and scale. Marked with tables and scales in Chinese script. Down the sides of the dial are 13 holes for setting the angle of the lunar dial. (Robert P. Multhauf, "Catalogue of Instruments and Models," 1961).

This telescope includes a 2" aperture. Its length is 10 1/4" closed, 32 1/4" extended. It is constructed out of brass and the outermost telescoping section is covered with reddened wood. This instrument is marked, "Plösel in Wien." Handwriting on tube reads: "Presented to the Am. Philos. Society Philadelphia / By Charles Nagy Member of the Hungarian Acady / attached is Imperial -- Vienna -- of Sciences of Pest-- / Jany 4, 1833." (Robert P. Multhauf, "Catalogue of Instruments and Models," 1961).

Two-draw hand telescope; brass, with mahogany barrel. The eye-piece is protected by a sliding guard; a brass cap fits over the end of the barrel. No maker's mark. Probably of English origin, about 1800. Retains its original chamois case.

Brass sundial with three adjustable legs and two levels attached to the side. Engraved along perimeter of top of compass: "Paris 49 Londres 51 St Petersbourg 59 Madrid 41 Milan 45", along with sundial's numerical position. Engraved on underside of compass: "Lisbonne 42 Constantinople 41 Berlin 52 Vienne 48 Hambourg 53."

Rembrandt Peale painted this half-length portrait of Robert Patterson in 1830, copying his own original 1812 portrait. Seated sideways on a chair, the subject directs his gaze toward the viewer’s left in three-quarter profile. Patterson wears a double-breasted cordovan-colored overcoat, a charcoal-colored vest, and a translucent, pleated white cravat and bow-tie. His fleshy face is rendered in detail, with naturalistically figured cheeks, jowls, eyes, and nose. The background fades from dark to light brown behind the sitter. The surface of the canvas is unusually regular; this consistency is likely the result of conservation efforts from 1937. While this portrait has been assessed as "oil-on-canvas," Peale may have used an encaustic (wax-based) medium when the APS requested the commission in 1830.