drum compound microscope
Date1848
Inventory Number1165
ClassificationMicroscope
Subject
Maker
Georges Oberhaeuser
1798 - 1868
Maker
Educational Supply Company
founded 1886
Owner
Thomas Wentworth Higginson
1823 - 1911
Owner
Guy Waring
Owner
Theodore Lyman IV
1874 - 1954
Collector
Ernst-Lewis Collection of Microscopes
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Dimensionsmicrscope: 24 × 7.8 × 7.1 cm (9 7/16 × 3 1/16 × 2 13/16 in.)
case: 8.1 × 25.2 × 12.6 cm (3 3/16 × 9 15/16 × 4 15/16 in.)
case: 8.1 × 25.2 × 12.6 cm (3 3/16 × 9 15/16 × 4 15/16 in.)
Material
Accessoriesobjectives (2): 4 and 7; oculars (2): 2 and 3; bull's eye lens; 2 boxes of cover glasses; numbered mahogany flat case with key.
DescriptionThis is a drum microscope of the French form.
The substage mirror is held in a brass drum with an aperture to permit light to reach the mirror. The mirror is tilted by means of a knob on the outside of the drum. On top of the drum is a rectangular stage. Above the stage is a sleeve that carries the body tube, which has an ocular draw tube. Coarse focus is by draw tube. Fine focusing is by means of a screw lifting the stage. The round base is lead-filled brass that is painted green. There is a dovetailed socket on the front of the body tube for a bull's eye lens (currently stored in the case).
An assembly mark--12--is stamped on most parts of the instrument by the mechanic who made a small series of like microscopes without interchangeable parts.
Serial No.1554 is on the case and on the base's bottom.
The microscope has two oculars marked 2 and 3. There are two objectives marked 4 and 7 on the nosepieces attached to them.
The flat mahogany case is dovetailed. It has a padded cushion of green silk backed by green colored paper on cardstock inside the lid. It is removable. Other parts are cushioned with green velvet. There is a steel key. In a covered chamber are 2 boxes of cover slips along with the spare objective.
The substage mirror is held in a brass drum with an aperture to permit light to reach the mirror. The mirror is tilted by means of a knob on the outside of the drum. On top of the drum is a rectangular stage. Above the stage is a sleeve that carries the body tube, which has an ocular draw tube. Coarse focus is by draw tube. Fine focusing is by means of a screw lifting the stage. The round base is lead-filled brass that is painted green. There is a dovetailed socket on the front of the body tube for a bull's eye lens (currently stored in the case).
An assembly mark--12--is stamped on most parts of the instrument by the mechanic who made a small series of like microscopes without interchangeable parts.
Serial No.1554 is on the case and on the base's bottom.
The microscope has two oculars marked 2 and 3. There are two objectives marked 4 and 7 on the nosepieces attached to them.
The flat mahogany case is dovetailed. It has a padded cushion of green silk backed by green colored paper on cardstock inside the lid. It is removable. Other parts are cushioned with green velvet. There is a steel key. In a covered chamber are 2 boxes of cover slips along with the spare objective.
Signedon sliding tube: Georges Oberhaeuser, / Place Dauphine, 19, / Paris.
on one box of cover slips: The Educational Supply Co., / Chemical Apparatus & Microscopes / BOSTON.
Inscribedstamped on edge of the case and in ink on the leather bottom of the base: 1554
Curatorial RemarksThe date has been made almost certain by a remark of Harting, CHSI lib.735, p. 703, that he received from Oberhaeuser a "grosses Mikroskop No. 1550" in 1848.
ProvenanceColonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson, c. 1848; gift to Guy Waring, 1874; gift to Theodore Lyman; gift to Ernst-Lewis Collection of Microscopes (inv. no. 165), Harvard Medical School.
Historical AttributesUsed by Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson (A.B. 1841, divinity school, 1847), the Unitarian minister and abolitionist, for scientific work before the Civil War.
Given by Higginson to Guy Waring (A.B. Harvard, 1882 cum laude) as a Christmas present in 1874. Given by Guy Waring to Professor Theodore Lyman of the Harvard Physics Department, a few years before Waring's death. Given by Lyman to the Ernst-Lewis Collection.
Georges Oberhaeuser
Date: circa 1845
Accessories: objectives (3): 7 and 4 on nosepieces, unnumbered one detached; oculars (2); bull's eye condenser; live box; glass slides (4); case; key.
Object number: 1384
Georges Oberhaeuser
Date: 1840-1850
Accessories: 1 convertible objective; 1 eyepiece; 7 glass slides; 10 prepared slides labeled in French; 2 dissecting needles; trough; quartz; cover slip; box.
Object number: 1153
E. Hartnack & A. Prazmowski
Date: circa 1870
Accessories: objectives (2): 4 and 7; ocular: 3; tweezers; brush; 2 dissecting needles; scalpel; glass rod dropper; flat case with key; table of magnifications.
Object number: 1160
Hugh Powell
Date: 1841
Accessories: oculars (2); objectives (3): 1/2, 1/8, 1/4 with attachable Lieberkühn; stage slide holder; stage fish plate holder; X-Y mechanical stage; fish plate; prepared slides (2); plain glass slides (2) and cover slips (2); box of cover slips; sponge; cotton bag; folding scalpel; fish plate; mount for stage forceps; fishhook; assorted hardware; case
Object number: 1164
J. & A. Molteni
Date: circa 1860
Accessories: objectives (2); oculars (2); pill box; table of magnifications; case
Object number: 1259
Breton Frères
Date: circa 1850
Accessories: 6 convertible objectives; 4 nosepieces, one with polarizer; 4 oculars; black / white disk; spare round stage with offset diaphragm; camera lucida; light polarizing insert; compressorium by Chevalier; fish trough; 2 prepared slides; 3 cuvettes; brass box specimen holder with compressed slides and collar to attach to microscope; flat case.
Object number: 1274
Charles-Louis Chevalier
Date: circa 1840
Accessories: 2 convertible objectives: 1, 2, 3 and 0,00,000; 2 oculars; simple magnifiers: 3 and 5, with support bracket; extension pillar; bull's eye stage condenser on jointed arm; forceps; 3 prepared slides; box of cover glasses; 1/100 mm stage micrometer; camera lucida; tall bell jar; padlock on chain; case with key; table of magnifications
Object number: 1079
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
Charles-Louis Chevalier
Date: 1835-1840
Accessories: 4 objectives; 4 oculars; inverting ocular; camera lucida; compressorium; galvanic stage; 1/100 mm stage micrometer; liquid trough; 2 bull's eyes; condenser with diaphragm wheel; mechanical stage; trough; eye shield; case with drawer and lid; spare wooden display base.
Object number: 1115
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
Lerebours et Secretan
Date: 1845-1855
Accessories: 2 convertible objectives; 3 nosepieces; 1 larger objective; 1 ocular; right-angled and straight tubes; mechanical stage; dissecting set; mechanical stage; case with drawer.
Object number: 1220
Ernst Leitz (company)
Date: circa 1919
Accessories: oculars (2): 3, 8x; accessory box; Leitz objectives (5); wrenches (2); ground glass; N.A. 1.45 condensor cap; Abbe condensor; rotary stage; case
Object number: 1345