Accession No
2889
Brief Description
achromatic compound microscope, ‘The Educational Microscope’, by Smith and Beck, English, 1855
Origin
England; London
Maker
Smith and Beck
Class
microscopes
Earliest Date
1855
Latest Date
1855
Inscription Date
Material
metal (brass); wood (walnut, mahogany); glass
Dimensions
box length 300 mm; breadth 140 mm; height 127 mm; microscope length 279mm; breadth 115mm; height 104mm
Special Collection
Provenance
Purchased from Christie’s, South Kensington, London, England; lot 49, 16/09/1982. Smith & Beck’s documentation records that this instrument was sold to Charles Wright in 5/10/1855.
Inscription
‘SMITH & BECK
LONDON
1045’
Description Notes
Achromatic compound microscope, “The Educational Microscope”, by Smith & Beck, 1855.
Brass on walnut base; 2 moulded brass uprights connected to stage plate by flanges and trunnion to two screw clamps. Tubular tail-piece with swinging double plano/concave mirror on slide and arm.
Tubular limb with angle arm to tubular body all in blackened brass; push-fit draw-tube; fine adjustment by screw at base of limb; 3 eyepieces push-fit into draw tube; 1 objective screw-fits to draw tube; cases for 2 Leitz objectives (neither extant).
Tubular diaphragm fits under stage. Various other accessories including condenser, prism attachments, half stage with clip. Mahogany fitted section fits onto base. Fitted wooden box.
References
Events
Description
The ‘Educational Microscope’ falls into Smith & Beck’s third class of microscope, intended for “students and others who have been desirous of possessing an instrument equal to their requirements, whether in physiology, chemistry or the minute forms of animal or vegetable life, but have not been able to incur the cost of such as are larger or more elaborate.”
FM:42803
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