Accession No

6686

Brief Description

microscope slide preparation / mounting set, by R. and J. Beck, English, c. 1875

Origin

England; London; 31 Cornhill

Maker

R. and J. Beck

Class

microscopes; optical; natural history

Earliest Date

1868

Latest Date

1890

Inscription Date

Material

wood; glass; metal; paper; felt; horsehair (?); rubber

Dimensions

108mm (height) x 245mm (width) x 155mm (depth)

Special Collection

Michael J. Clark Bequest

Provenance

Inscription

Description Notes

Microscope slide preparation / mounting set, by R & J Beck, English, c. 1875

A box containing a large variety of materials for mounting microscope slides. The box itself is hinged with two clasps, and internal racks and trays for holding objects. At least some of the objects in the box are not made by R & J Beck, indicated in list below. The box contains:

A glass bottle, with a small brush attached to a wood and cork stopper
Two brushes, numbered "2" and "9" in gold paint on black handle
Small glass and rubber pipette
Blunt palette knife with dark brown wooden handle
Probe with lighter brown wooden handle
Scalpel with flat black handle; at base of blade, "DOWN LONDON" is engraved
Long thin wire metal hook attached to unfinished wooden handle
Flat brass forceps
Folding blade (resembles a straight razor) with wooden guard; engraved "..ADE & GROUP / SHEFFIELD, ENG." at base of blade.
Two wire slide holders, one holding a slide
Cardboard tube with lid, labelled "STAGE CLIPS / R & J BECK"
Brass cylinder with knurled screw at base - purpose unclear
Two black slide-out boxes, one labelled "THIN GLASS / R & J BECK / LONDON & PHILDADELPHIA" containing small glass circles for mounting, and the other, unlabelled, contains labels.
Slide ringing table with brass deck -- pins missing but a brass bar has been provided to centre the slide
Two glass bottles - one with a clear liquid (likely Canadian balsam) labelled "UNIVERSAL MOUNTANT" and the other with a dark caramel coloured liquid, quite viscous, labelled "RINGING CEMENT." Each have glass stoppers surrounded with wax paper and wrapped with thin twine.
Several circular slips of paper (for slide ringing table?)
Several glass slides separated by slips of paper
Small circular paper box with writing in red pen; contains rubber, paper, and metal rings
A long, thin glass tube
Condition: fair

88 parts excluding thin glasses, labels, and circular pieces.

References

Events