drum compound microscope
Datecirca 1845
Inventory Number1384
ClassificationMicroscope
Subject
Maker
Georges Oberhaeuser
1798 - 1868
Owner
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr
1809 - 1894
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Dimensionsmicroscope: 24 × 7.8 × 11.5 cm (9 7/16 × 3 1/16 × 4 1/2 in.)
case: 7.3 × 25.2 × 12.8 cm (2 7/8 × 9 15/16 × 5 1/16 in.)
box: 6.4 × 26.2 × 13.3 cm (2 1/2 × 10 5/16 × 5 1/4 in.)
case: 7.3 × 25.2 × 12.8 cm (2 7/8 × 9 15/16 × 5 1/16 in.)
box: 6.4 × 26.2 × 13.3 cm (2 1/2 × 10 5/16 × 5 1/4 in.)
Material
Accessoriesobjectives (3): 7 and 4 on nosepieces, unnumbered one detached; oculars (2); bull's eye condenser; live box; glass slides (4); case; 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. Some leather remains on the bottom of the base. There is a dovetailed socket on the front of the body tube for a bull's eye lens (currently stored in the case).
Serial No.1157 is on the case and on the base's bottom. Assembly marks stamped on various parts of the instrument: 74.
The microscope has two oculars. There are two objectives marked 4 and 7 on the nosepieces attached to them. A third objective is not attached to a nosepiece.
The flat mahogany case is dovetailed. It has a padded cushion of blue silk (faded from green) backed by green colored paper on cardstock inside the lid. It is removable. Other parts are cushioned with green wool. There is a steel key. In a covered chamber (lid missing) is half a box of cover slips along with a live box (shaped like an eyepiece). There are 4 glass slides; one is engraved "Dr Holmes."
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. Some leather remains on the bottom of the base. There is a dovetailed socket on the front of the body tube for a bull's eye lens (currently stored in the case).
Serial No.1157 is on the case and on the base's bottom. Assembly marks stamped on various parts of the instrument: 74.
The microscope has two oculars. There are two objectives marked 4 and 7 on the nosepieces attached to them. A third objective is not attached to a nosepiece.
The flat mahogany case is dovetailed. It has a padded cushion of blue silk (faded from green) backed by green colored paper on cardstock inside the lid. It is removable. Other parts are cushioned with green wool. There is a steel key. In a covered chamber (lid missing) is half a box of cover slips along with a live box (shaped like an eyepiece). There are 4 glass slides; one is engraved "Dr Holmes."
Signedon tube: Georges Oberhaeuser / Place Dauphine, 19, / Paris
on glass slide: Dr Holmes
Inscribedserial no. stamped on case and underside of microscope: 1157
matchmarks on parts of microscope: 74
ProvenanceOliver Wendel Holmes, Boston, MA, c. 1845; Mrs. Edward Jackson Holmes, before 1956; gift to Harvard Medical Library, 1956; transfer to CHSI, 1989.
Historical AttributesThis instrument was purchased by Oliver Wendell Holmes. It was given to Harvard Medical Library in 1956 by Mrs. Edward Jackson Holmes. It was transferred to CHSI by Richard J. Wolfe on May 8, 1989. See: <i>The Alabama Journal of Medical Science</i>, vol. 3, No. 1 (Jan. 1966): 80-81.
Georges Oberhaeuser
Date: 1848
Accessories: objectives (2): 4 and 7; oculars (2): 2 and 3; bull's eye lens; 2 boxes of cover glasses; numbered mahogany flat case with key.
Object number: 1165
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
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
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
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
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
J. & A. Molteni
Date: circa 1860
Accessories: objectives (2); oculars (2); pill box; table of magnifications; case
Object number: 1259
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
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
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