Items

• 

  Dollond Cuff-Type Microscope

  The cuff-style compound microscope is made from brass and is secured to a square mahogany base. The single-sided plano-concave mirror is mounted on a gimbal and connected to a brass mounting on the base which can rotate. The Bonnani stage is signed "Dollond London" and has a small removable bullseye condenser attachment. Beneath the stage are two stage clips which hold the specimen in place. The instrument comes with a removable spring-loaded attachment which slots into the circular cut out and acts as a method to hold a specimen in place. The stage is supported by a rectangular pillar, which is parallel to another movable pillar for coarse focusing. The movable pillar slides up and down, adjusting the body tube relative to the stage. The focusing is controlled by a Hevelius screw, with the top mount fixing the body tube in position, and the screw thread adjusts the position of the body tube along the pillar. The pillar has numbered markings which represent the position of the body tube from 1 to 6. The body tube sits in the arm attachment at the top of the pillar. The eye piece has a sliding brass protector. The instrument is housed in a pyramid-shaped mahogany case with an interior draw in the base. The case has a brass carrying handle and is secured by a lock, however, the key is not present with the instrument.
• 

  Culpeper-style Compound Microscope

  The Culpeper-style microscope is made from brass and is attached to a mahogany base that contains a drawer. The design is based on instruments produced by Edmund Culpeper (1670-1737). The instrument stands on a decorative tripod stand which is connected to the fixed circular stage. Beneath the stage are two long stage clips which hold the specimens in place. The stage also has a spring-loaded attachment which can also be used to hold specimens in place for observation. The stage also comes with small forceps which connect to the stage by a pin. The sub-stage plano-concave mirror is attached to the base and is set in a gimbal which allows it to be rotated. Coarse focusing is achieved by rack work controlled by a thumbscrew on the body-tube. The body-tube stands directly above the stage which is held up by three curved pillars. The instrument is kept in its original pyramidal shaped mahogany case with a brass carrying hook situated at its top. The case is secured by a lock which is still functional and the key is kept with the accessories.
• 

  German Cuff-Type Microscope

  The cuff-style compound microscope stands on a large oak base with a drawer. The brass microscope is connected to the base by 4 splayed short legs, one of which is connected to the sub-stage plano-concave mirror set in a gimbal. The instrument has a rectangular pillar which is connected to the screw adjustment controlled by the thumbscrew at the top of the pillar. The decorative sculptural triform stage has a circular cut out and attachment which is spring loaded to hold the slides. The instrument comes with a small bulls-eye condenser and specimen holder which connect to the stage via a pin. The body-tube is held by the arm which allows the body-tube to be adjusted by sliding it closer or further from the stage. The instrument can also be used as a simple microscope by detaching the nosepiece attachment and using it to examine specimens. An addition to the nosepiece of the body-tube allows the instrument to be used as a compound or simple microscope by removing the attachment or sliding the slide above the objective lens. The addition is spring-loaded which secures the slide in place. The eye piece has a protective cover which slides out of place. The base has one draw which holds the microscopes accessories and slides.
• 

  Dollond Solar Microscope

  This early Cuff-style solar microscope was designed by Peter Dollond. The square plate can be fixed to a window shutter with two screws. The instrument has a large, rectangular mirror which can be controlled by two wing nuts; one connected to a pinion for angle variation and the other to control the rotation. The body-tube attached to the brass plate and can be screwed in to secure it. A condensing lens is also attached to the body-tube and on the other side is a spring-barrel tube which holds the final condenser — which comes in the form of dovetail slides — the specimen and the projection lens. The instrument comes with six projection lens which are engraved 1 to 6. The focusing is by rack work controlled by the small thumbscrew located at the side of the spring-barrel. The instrument comes with a fitted mahogany case which holds all the components in fitted compartments. The case is secured by two brass swing hooks and also has a lock with a functional key.
• 

  Lincoln Culpeper-type microscope

  The compound microscope is made from brass and has a circular base. The sub-stage mirror is fixed to the base on a gimbal which only allows it to rotate on its horizontal axis. The instrument has three scrolled supports which hold the stage and support the body-tube. The stage has the stage clips underneath it which hold the specimen so it can be observed through the circular cut out. There is also a central aperture for illumination by transmitted light. The body-tube is marked with numbers 1 to 4 which indicate the focus position of each lens. Coarse focusing is achieved by moving the body-tube closer or further from the fixed stage by sliding it. The ocular lens has a cover which can be slid open or closed. The instrument is signed "Lincoln London" on the body-tube.
• 

  Wilson Screw Barrel Microscope

  The screw barrel microscope is made from brass and has an ivory handle which can be dissembled to fit into the original case. The microscope consists of a cylinder with an external screw thread. The microscope has a mounted objective lens with a condenser lens screwed into the other side to illuminate the specimen during observation. Coarse focusing is achieved by screwing the body tube along the screw thread which adjusts the distance between lenses. The microscope is also equipped with an extension attachment that is needed to mount the objectives when using the stage forceps. The instrument can be used as a simple or compound microscope, depending on how many objectives are used. The case has a red velvet interior that has compartments for the dissembled microscope and its accessories. The case is secured by two brass swing hooks; however, one is missing.
• 

  Compass Pocket Microscope with Magnifying Glass

  The miniature botanist microscope has the original lens intact. The objective lenses are set in a Lieberkuhn reflector which reflects light evenly onto the specimen. The simple microscope seems to have an ivory or bone handle. There is an attachment with an inclination joint which allows the stage forceps to be angled for observation. The specimen holder is not original to the instrument. The instrument comes with a magnifying glass with a matching ivory (or bone) handle. 
• 

  "Cary-Gould style" Field Microscope

  The field microscope is made of brass and case-mounted onto a mahogany case which acts as the base. The pillar is secured into the lid of the case via a screw attachment at the bottom of the pillar. The stage is permanently attached to the pillar and coarse focusing functions by a rack and pinion which moves the stage closer or further from the objective. The arm is attached by sliding it into the top section of the pillar where it is secured by a thumbscrew. The objective lens are screwed directly into the end of the body-tube which can then be screwed into the arm. The stage has two clips that hold the specimen by placing the slide between the clip and the square stage. The sub-stage mirror is attached via a pin into the pillar. The mahogany fitted case has some marks and stains. The inside of the case is lined with blue velvet and has compartments to fit the dissembled microscope and accessories. The case is secured by two brass swing hooks on the sides.
• 

  Sentry-Box Type Microscope

  The "Sentry-Box" type of compound microscope is one of several types of instruments, all made of wood and decorated cardboard, manufactured in the toy district of Bavaria, Germany (near Nuremberg.) The main styles included a Culpeper-type, Sentry box-type, Solar, and Side Pillar-type. These monocular microscopes were all made in the same style with only minor variations in the decorations for nearly half a century. This microscope is signed by "JFF" within a heart, one of a few known signatures often appearing on these instruments.