This is a Botanical Dissecting Microscope made by Joseph Zentmayer (1826-1888). This microscope is probably from his late period*. It consists of a hollow brass base (9cm dia) supporting a circular support pillar. The sample stage is screwed to the top of this pillar. Inside the pillar is the triangular shaft that supports the objective arm. A rack & pinion mechanism moves the objective to achieve focusing. The illuminating mirror is bolted to the circular base. There is one objective lens mounted to an articulating arm screwed to the top of the shaft. The objective is 12x, and was made by the Spencer Lens Company). The rectangular stage has a circular cutout with a glass circle to support the sample. Two stage clips hold the sample. There is one bone botanical sample slide associated with this microscope. The entire instrument is 14cm. Imaging is low magnification and rather poor, but with little chromatic aberration.

*Thanks to Dr. Hauke Kahl, Application specialist, Business Area Microscopy, Olympus Deutschland GmbH

Special thanks to my Assistant Ms. Riley Maxon.

Featured 10/2017