Pocket Microscope (No. 63 )

Age: 1850–1875
Made by: unknown
Made in: possibly France
Carrying case
Imaging

This is a small, pocket microscope with a violin-shaped carrying case. It consists of a circular brass base and brass support pillar. The illuminating mirror is screwed to the pillar. The sample stage is press-fit onto this pillar halfway up. A metal cantilever is screwed to the top of the pillar, and attached to this is a brass sleeve. The microscope body presses into the sleeve. There is a joint at the base of the support pillar that allows the microscope to be tilted to a more comfortable position.

Focus is accomplished simply by pushing the body up or down. The microscope optics consists of a simple plano-convex eye lens, a plano-convex field lens, and an objective. The objective has the French style of two ganged simple lenses. The sample stage is rectangular with a central hole and two fixed slide clips. Imaging is good, showing only slight spherical aberration. The total magnification with both objective lenses is approximately 100x. The microscope may be stored in a small violin-shaped carrying case. The case is constructed of fruit wood and is covered in fish skin.

The microscope is approximately 11cm tall.

Thanks go to to my assistant Ms. R. Maxon for preparation of this MOM.

Sat, Jul 29, 2017