homemade non-commercial compound microscope
Datecirca 1865
Inventory Number2002-1-0048
ClassificationMicroscope
Subject
Maker
American
Cultural Region
Dimensions41 x 25 x 25 cm (16 1/8 x 9 13/16 x 9 13/16 in.)
Material
Accessories1 Objective; 1 eyepiece; Sub-stage concave mirror
DescriptionThis is a non-commercial microscope made of wood (possibly mahogany or walnut) and brass. It has a square wooden base resting on feet. The wood pillar is slotted to take the wooden stage and its upper hinged slab. The pillar rises to a post without any hinge joint for inclining the microscope. The post carries a brass sleeve held by a brass strap screwed to the post. The body tube is brass, with an ocular draw tube at one end and the objective draw tube at the other. The ocular and objective tubes have baffles like those typically found on a spyglass telescope. The ocular and objective are permanently attached to their respective tubes. Coarse focus is by sliding the entire tube assembly in its sleeve or by using either draw tube. Fine focus is by means of a screw underneath the back of the stage that tilts that tilts a wooden slab hinged to the front of the stage.
Sub-stage apparatus is concave mirror that is fork-mounted to the base.
Sub-stage apparatus is concave mirror that is fork-mounted to the base.
Signedunsigned
ProvenanceMax and Florence Brodsky Family, pre-2002; gift to CHSI, 2002.
Historical AttributesThis microscope is homemade and has baffled draw tubes like those found on small telescopes.
W. Watson & Sons Ltd.
Date: circa 1885
Accessories: oculars (2 pairs): B and D; objectives in marked canisters (4): 1/4, 1/2, 1, 3 inches; condenser with iris diaphragm; rotating wheel diaphragm; iris diaphragm; set of 4 disk diaphragms in brass box; triple nosepiece; live box; prisms for Wenham binocular system (2); stage for simple microscope with rotating wheel diaphragm; vulcanite stage; spare knobs (2); parts box; case
Object number: 1249
E. Hartnack & A. Prazmowski
Date: circa 1870
Accessories: objectives (7): 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9,10 in fitted box ; eyepieces (4): 1, 4, 5, 6; cup diaphragms (4); polarizer set; bull's eye condenser on stand; Oberhaeuser-style camera lucida; tweezers; substage rotating wheel diaphragm attached to holder with blue glass filter; substage glass filter holder with blue glass filter; substage condenser; dual nosepiece, Hartnack 1/100 mm stage micrometer; flat case; key; magnification table; price lists (2).
Object number: 1080
Constant Vérick
Date: circa 1875
Accessories: oculars (3): 1, 2, 3; objectives (7): 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 water immersion (2); substage stops (3); condenser with aperture diaphragm wheel on dovetail slide; bullseye; revolving double nosepiece; spatula; blue glass filter; case; and key
Object number: 1012
Constant Vérick
Date: circa 1885
Accessories: objectives (2): 2, 7; objective box; spare nosepiece; oculars (3): 1, 2, 3; ocular that is too small: 0; dissecting needles (2); tweezers; flat case; key.
Object number: 1034
E. Hartnack & A. Prazmowski
Date: 1874-1881
Accessories: objectives in box (3): 7, 9, convertible 4; oculars (4): 2, 3, 4, 5; bull's eye lens; cup diaphragms (3); dissecting needles (3); case; key.
Object number: 1195
R. & J. Beck
Date: 1876
Accessories: oculars (2) in microscope; Darker's selenite retarding filters (3); wheel diaphragm; mechanical rotary stage; stage slider. Other accessories are in the case (1122b), including monocular draw tube; oculars (3); objectives in cans (5); empty can; Lieberkühn; polarizing set; slides; camera lucidas (2); etc.; plus a Beck patent substage condenser (1122c); and apertometer (1122d).
Object number: 1122a
Boston Optical Works
Date: circa 1870
Accessories: 3 Tolles objectives: 1 with 3 fronts; empty can 8/10; 5 Tolles oculars 34 mm dia.: 2 all solid, 2 solid field l. & single eye lens, 1 std.; centerable condenser with diaphragm wheel; mech. stage; side illuminator prism; cabinet.
Object number: 1016a
Andrew Pritchard
Date: 1835-1840
Accessories: objectives (4); oculars (6); lieberkühns (4); stage forceps; bull's eye condenser on stand; spring stage; extra mechanical stage; polarizer; cup diaphragms and holders; substage fork mount; live box; glass troughs (2); concave glass; fish tube holder; case; 2 keys. See also slide micrometers (2) (1088b,c)
Object number: 1088a
Carl Reichert
Date: circa 1879
Accessories: 5 objectives: Hartnack # 4, 7, 8, No. II Hom. Imm. No. 2 in Hartnack case; Homog. Oil immersion by Reichert in own case. 2 oculars: 2, 3; 2 disc diaphrams, 3 cup diaphrams which fit in sliding plate, sliding plate and holder for diaphrams; condenser; revolving nose piece; extra frame for mirror on slider; fitted case; key to case.
Object number: 1077a
R. & J. Beck
Date: circa 1878
Accessories: oculars (3); eye mask; Beck objectives with cans (2): 1, 1/6 in.; anonymous onjective: 1/15 in homog. im..; tweezers; triple nosepiece; Rousselet-type sliding stage; Abbe condenser; iris diaphgragm; cover slips (2); prescription envelope; instructions; lock parts; standing case with key.
Object number: 1362
Newton & Company
Date: circa 1860
Accessories: objective with canister: 1 inch; ocular; frog / fish plate; live box; mechanical stage; standing case
Object number: 1246
Bausch & Lomb Optical Company
Date: circa 1899
Accessories: B&L objectives on triple nosepiece and with cans (3): 1/12, 1/6, 2/3"; Zeiss objective for oil immersion: 40; Leitz mechanical stage; oculars (2): 1, 2; Abbe condensor; immersion oil can; standing case; key; spare stage clips.
Object number: 1351