An early 19th century, George III, mahogany and glass lightning stool. The rectangular top standing on four glass legs, each with a brass collar and screw thread for easily transporting and storing.Height 8 1/4'' (21cm)Width 13 3/4'' (35cm)Depth 9 1/4'' (23.5cm)Circa 1810EnglishMisconceptions to the use of lightning stools include people using them to stand on during thunder storms to avoid lightning strikes, and even tests for whitchcraft. ‘Lightning’ stools were used for electrical experiments, at travelling lectures and public demonstrations, in scientists’ laboratories, or domestically as what might be termed the ‘executive toys’ of the age. A game of 1748 involved electrifying a print of the King, so that when someone tried to remove his gilt-metal crown they received a sharp blow for their treason. Another was the electric kiss, or Venus electrificata, in which a lady standing on a stool was charged up and her caress proved so painful that the gallant gent...