A CULPEPER-TYPE MICROSCOPE, LONDON, CIRCA 1820unsigned, cons...

Hammer

£1,100

A CULPEPER-TYPE MICROSCOPE, LONDON, CIRCA 1820

unsigned, constructed in lacquered brass with rack and pinion focussing, five nose pieces, circular stage with accessories including stage bulls-eye, fish plate, Lieberkuhn, funnel stop, brass box with slide glasses, forceps and small quantity of bone specimen slides with some content, contained in a pyramidal box with acorn finial, -- 18in. (46cm.) high

Dr. Mill notes:

This is very typical of a type of microscope widely sold between about 1770 and 1830. Culpepper invented his three legged microscope in the 1720s. Made of wood, leather and card it provided greater stability than older forms but at the cost of accessibility. Once brass tubing became available it was rapidly employed to make these microscopes; they were widely sold bearing a variety of signatures, or as in this case none. These various stands were so similar that it is believed that there were a series of factories in London supplying the components for opticians to assemble.

It has a wooden base fitted with an accessory drawer and fits into a mahogany case of typical pyramid shape. The small bun feet and wooden knob are unusual. There are a set of 5 button lenses and a single fixed eyepiece. There is a round stage with a plug-in Bonnanni stage. accessories appear complete with a stage bullseye, stage forceps/cork, Lieberkuhn, fish plate, funnel stop, brass box, compressorium, talc box, forceps and bone sliders.

ref: Turner "Great Age of the Microscope"(1988) p36-46; "Billings Collection" (1974) p182

The glue joins for the tray stand have dried out so the sides and back are now detached. Otherwise overall good condition.