Accession No
1825
Brief Description
simple microscope, aquatic type, by R. Field, English, 1855 (c)
Origin
England; Birmingham; 111 New Street
Maker
Field, R.
Class
microscopes
Earliest Date
1855
Latest Date
1855
Inscription Date
Material
metal (brass); wood; glass; ivory; cloth
Dimensions
h 155 mm; box: 137 x 88 x 35 mm
Special Collection
Heywood Collection
Provenance
Purchased from the H.Heywood collection under estate duty exemption benefit with the assistance of a Science Museum (PRISM) grant-in-aid.
Inscription
R. FIELD
111 NEW ST
BIRMm (stamped in box)
Description Notes
Brass column screws into brass plate in lid of box; swinging concave mirror fits into base; rack on column; knurled screw moves stage; circular slide clip, horizontal bar screwed to top of column with screw fit eyepieces; live box, 2 ivory slides, stage forceps, total of 4 eyepieces [none original]
condition: fair; incomplete, the glass is missing from one of the lenses
References
Events
Description
Growing interest throughout the eighteenth century in natural history, and more particularly in pond-life, stimulated the development of the “Aquatic” microscope. This was initially designed by John Ellis (1710 - 1776) and is therefore often referred to as the “Ellis Aquatic”.
Ellis, a peripatetic naturalist, commissioned his first instrument in 1752 from John Cuff. It was designed to hold small samples of pond-water on a watch-glass stage. In this way the microscopic creatures contained in it could be observed. Several of these microscopes have dissecting tools as part of the kits and could also be used for microscopic dissection.
01/03/2001
Created by: Corrina Bower on 01/03/2001
FM:39894
Images (Click to view full size):
