Accession No

3836

Brief Description

compound microscope, possibly achromatic, by Ernst Leitz, German, 4/4 19th century

Origin

Germany; Wetzlar

Maker

Ernst Leitz R. and J. Beck Ltd. [one objective] Watson [one objective]

Class

microscopes

Earliest Date

1875

Latest Date

1900

Inscription Date

Material

wood; metal (brass, white metal, oxidised brass); cloth (velvet); glass; card

Dimensions

height 314mm; breadth 110mm; depth 140mm; box height 360mm; box breadth 180mm; box depth 183mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Purchased from Christie’s, South Kensington, London, England; lot 323, 03/03/1992.

Inscription

‘E. Leitz Wetzlar
No 54433’ (base)
‘2/3
R. & J. BECK LTD’ (one objective)
‘7
E. Leitz
Wetzlar’ (one objective)
‘WATSON
B22379
PARA
2MM NA 1.28
OIL IMM
x 100’ (one objective)

Description Notes

Black-painted horseshoe base, flat profile. Pillar to tongued joint. Brass pillar with knurled screw with conical cap for fine focus (scale divided [0] - 50, numbered by 10, subdivided to 1). Racked substage with condenser and swinging plano-concave mirror. Circular stage with brass clips. Shaped bar to limb with rack and double screws for coarse focus; rack on body. Draw tube divided [14] - 20, numbered by 1, subdivided to 0.1. Rotating triple nose piece with 3 objectives in place, one for oil immersion. Push fit eyepiece labelled 5.
Fitted wooden box with purple velvet lining, and white metal hinges and lock, brass handle. Three sliding drawers. Contains key, two stage clips, lens cover signed by Smith & Beck, push fit eyepiece, torn card with details of original purchase.

Condition of box: good; complete

References

Events