Continental-Style Microscope by F. W. Schieck, No. 331
Age: c1878
Made by: F. W. Scheick
Made in: Germany
F.W. Schieck
Berlin No. 1782
Imaging
This is a brass compound microscope of the Continental Style made by FW Schieck of Berlin. Engraved on the horseshoe base is "F.W. Schieck" and "Berlin, No. 1782". The serial number puts the manufacture date c1878. This is a complete 19th Century microscope set in a modern case. It includes the original objective box and five objectives (1,3,5,7,9), a small box of coverslips, three eyepieces (0, 1, 2), a standard size depression slide and one plain glass microscope slide. This microscope has a circular condenser that mounts to a dovetail assembly under the stage. The stage is rectangular, with a circular cutout to accommodate one of two available apertures Fine focus is by a threaded screw. There is no coarse focus. The illuminating mirror has two reflecting sides, one plane and one parabolic. It is mounted on an articulating arm. Also included is a small card listing the magnifications available. Imaging is very good showing no chromatic or spherical aberration.

Friedrich Wilhelm Schieck (1790—1870) worked in Berlin with Carl Philipp Heinrich Pistor (1778—1847), becoming partner in 1824. At that time, instruments were signed Pistor & Schiek. By 1837, Schiek split from Pistor and began to produce instruments under his own name. At that time the microscopes were usually marked “Schiek in Berlin”. Beginning around 1860, Friedrich began to work with his son, Friedrich Wilhelm Hermann Schieck, who by 1865 assumed full management of the firm under the name F. W. Schieck Optisches Institut. The elder Schieck died in 1870. The son died in 1916, but the firm continued well into the 20th century. Microscopes by Schieck were engraved with a serial number. The number on this microscope, 1782, suggests that it was manufactured around 1878 by the son, FWH Schieck. For a more thorough description of Schieck go here.

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