Accession No

6681

Brief Description

microscope, simple binocular type, by R. and J. Beck, English, c. 1875

Origin

England; London; 31 Cornhill

Maker

R. and J. Beck

Class

microscopes

Earliest Date

1868

Latest Date

1890

Inscription Date

Material

wood; metal; glass

Dimensions

240mm (height, with pillar at maximum height -- can be lowered so that height is 175mm) x 190mm (width) x 190mm (depth)

Special Collection

Michael J. Clark Bequest

Provenance

Inscription

R & J. Beck
31. CORNHILL
LONDON
6794

Description Notes

Microscope, simple binocular type, by R & J Beck, English, c. 1875.

Wooden base with rounded edges, with a swinging concave mirror in a gimbal that can fold flush into the wooden base. The stage area above the base is supported by four brass pillars; the stage is circular with a movable black disk on top of a circular fixed brass platform with circular hole in the centre. At top left, a rotating lens at the end of an arm (arm cannot be moved up or down, only sideways). At the top right corner, there are two arms fixed on to a pillar, which can be moved up and down on a rack and pinion using the knurled knob. At the end of one arm is a lens (Stanhope?), and the other arm contains a brass half cylinder, with removable section, whose purpose is unclear (perhaps held prisms that were used for the binocular function?).

According to Clark's typed label, the microscope was intended to be binocular, but was badly designed so that the slide doesn't extend far enough to match the normal human inter-pupillary distance. The mirror is also hidden under the stage, where it is hardly exposed to enough light to be of any use.

Condition: fair, near complete.

References

Events