B&L prototype concentric binocular compound microscope
Date1883-1884
Inventory Number1149
ClassificationMicroscope
Subject
Maker
Bausch & Lomb Optical Company
1853-present
User
Jacob D. Cox
1828 - 1900
Owner
Clarence A. Cheever
1858 - 1946
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Dimensions38.7 × 18.7 × 16 cm (15 1/4 × 7 3/8 × 6 5/16 in.)
Material
Accessoriesobjectives (3): 1/8, 1/4, 3 inch; oculars (2): B1, B2.
DescriptionThis is a Bausch & Lomb concentric binocular compound microscope. The binocular body has extendable eyepiece tubes and a rack and pinion coarse adjustment. A three-positioned triple nosepiece is attached to the body.
The fine adjustment is by a knob located on top of the curved arm. The arm is mounted to the base with a clamp and a screw knob. The base is circular with three spokes.
The stage is circular and rotating. Below the stage is a condenser and a mirror on a swinging arm.
The patent date [ "Pat. Oct. 3, 1876"] appears on the arm. This refers to the fine focus mechanism.
There is no accompanying case. The instrument came with two eyepieces (B1 and B2) and two objectives (1/4 and 3 inch). The third objective (1/8) was added later from the parts box of CHSI 1044.
The fine adjustment is by a knob located on top of the curved arm. The arm is mounted to the base with a clamp and a screw knob. The base is circular with three spokes.
The stage is circular and rotating. Below the stage is a condenser and a mirror on a swinging arm.
The patent date [ "Pat. Oct. 3, 1876"] appears on the arm. This refers to the fine focus mechanism.
There is no accompanying case. The instrument came with two eyepieces (B1 and B2) and two objectives (1/4 and 3 inch). The third objective (1/8) was added later from the parts box of CHSI 1044.
Signedon stage: BAUSCH & LOMB OPTICAL CO.
Inscribedon arm: Pat. Oct. 3, 1876
Curatorial RemarksA note in the file says that because there is no case, the lenses were boxed in CHSI 1124.
Historical AttributesAccording to Dr. C. A. Cheever, "This microscope is described and illustrated on page 65 of the American Monthly Microscopical Journal, April 1884. It was made by Bausch & Lomb after designs of the Hon. J. D. Cox, F. R. M. S. of Cincinnati and described by him before the meeting of American Society of Microscopists at Chicago Aug. 7-10, 1883. See p. 190 [of the] Am. Monthly Micr. Journ., Oct. 1883."
Jacob Dolson Cox, Governor of Ohio, was the president of the American Microscopical Society in 1884.
Mr. Luther Forrester Elliott owned the microscope. He was born on May 12, 1857 in Reading, Massachusetts and died on September 22, 1930. He studied at Harvard (S.B., 1909). Cheever bought the microscope from Elliott's estate after Mrs. Elliott sent it to the Boston Society of Natural History to find a buyer.
There is strong evidence that this particular microscope was Baush & Lomb's prototype of the new design. The microscope was made before
1883--that is before it was formally introduced by Governor Cox and before the patent of the binocular eyepiece (which was February 12, 1884)--and is marked only with the patent date of the fine focus (1876). Moreover, it carries no serial number contrary to the B&L practice. Regular production instruments also had a better attachment of the fine focus to the arm.
Ernst Leitz (company)
Date: 1951-1960
Accessories: Two Compens 10x eyepieces; two Zeiss 10x eyepieces; many loose square filters (sized to fit in slots in eyepiece), some in felt bags; eight similar filters mounted in rectangular black metal frames marked (on masking tape) A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2, B3, B4; two larger rectangular glass mirrors.
Object number: 2007-1-0084
Carl Zeiss Jena
Date: circa 1928
Accessories: oculars(2): a pair of K 15x Mobimi; objectives (3): apochromats 20 n.a. 0.65 and 70 n.a. 1.25, and achromat 8 n.a. 0.20; mechanical stage; condenser with iris diaphgragm; locking screw with washer and screwdriver; standing case, key.
Object number: 1369
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
Carl Zeiss Jena
Date: circa 1932
Accessories: apochromatic objectives (2): 20/ 0.65, 40/ 0.95; canisters (3): Apo 10/ 0.30, Apo 10/ 0.65, Apo 40/ 0.95; oculars (2): pair of K 7x Mobimi; stops (3); screwdriver with heavy locking screw with washer; wrench; standing case, key
Object number: 1389
Spencer Lens Company
Date: circa 1924
Accessories: spencer compensating oculars (2): 10x; triple nosepiece; Spencer objectives (3): 16mm, 4mm, 1.8mm
Object number: 1315
Carl Zeiss Jena
Date: circa 1932
Accessories: objectives (4): 3 achr. 8x, 10x, 20x , APO 40; ocular Mobimi K7x; condensor; mechanical stage; stereo set of ocular caps and stop; Abbe condensor; standing case.
Object number: 1370
Spencer Lens Company
Date: circa 1930
Accessories: oculars (4): 6x, 10x; Spencer objectives (3): 16, 4, 1.8 mm; triple nosepiece; mechanical stage; monocular tube; dark field diaphragm; Abbe condenser; blue filter; case
Object number: 1317
Spencer Lens Company
Date: circa 1920
Accessories: oculars (2): 10x, "planoscopic"; triple nosepiece; Spencer objectives (3):16mm, 4mm, 1.8mm; Abbe condenser
Object number: 1313
Joseph Zentmayer
Date: circa 1875
Accessories: monocular body tube; 1 set of paired eyepieces; oculars (3); objective in canister: 8/10; wheel diaphragm; glass window; case; key.
Object number: 1073
Thomas Armstrong & Brother
Date: circa 1880
Accessories: 3 Pairs oculars; 3 objectives: 1/4, 1/2, 1"; pol. set; dark field cond.; substage diaphragm; 31 prep. slides; 2 live cells; screwdrivers, brushes, etc.; glass slides; mech. stage; Standing case.
Object number: 1268
Spencer Lens Company
Date: 1930-1933
Accessories: objectives (3) 1.8 mm, 4 mm, 16 mm; paired oculars: 10x; monocular tube; mechanical stage; spare stage clips; blue filter; case; key.
Object number: 1996-1-0338
Bausch & Lomb Optical Company
Date: 1930-1935
Accessories: micrometer eyepiece; oculars (5): 1 Leitz 8x, 1 pair B&L 6.4x, 1 pair B&L 12.5x; objective: Spencer 48 mm., 2.2x; monocular tube; glass bottle for immersion fluid; B & L canisters (3); case with key
Object number: 2003-1-0007
See also/See also
