A COMPOUND MONOCULAR MICROSCOPE BY J.BECK, LONDON, CIRCA 186...

Hammer

£180

A COMPOUND MONOCULAR MICROSCOPE BY J.BECK, LONDON, CIRCA 1867

signed and inscribed on the annular foot, Universal Microscope, R & J Beck, London and numbered 4757, square-sectioned barrel on an attached platform with lateral movement, and magnifier and mirror, contained within original fitted case -- 12½ x 7in. (32 x 18cm.)

Christie's South Kensington, 19th October 2005, lot 495.

Dr. Mill notes:

“This instrument is the result of an endeavour to make a very low priced compound achromatic microscope by reducing its construction to the simplest possible form. Still retaining all that a really useful instrument requires....” Richard Beck ‘Achromatic Microscopes’ 1865”

This aim was well achieved by radically rethinking the microscope. The base is circular, cast in brass and part blackened with three cork feet. A single round pillar rises to carry the limb which is free to rotate laterally alongside the pillar to provide inclination. The coarse focussing is by chain drive. Fine focus is affected simply by means of a lever mounted loosely on the spindle of the coarse focus knob. Holding the lever against the edge of the milled knob enables it to be turned finely A small rod fixed below the stage carries the concave mirror and a simple diaphragm plate. . There is a collar for a condensor below the stage but none is present. However a small bull’s-eye on a short Musschenbroke arm can be swung below the stage as a condensor or used above the stage for opaque objects. The small stage is plain with a single double ended clip intended to hold a a sliding stage plate there is no evidence that this was ever present. The tube is unusual being a square-sectioned brass casting with rough blackened panels. There is an achromatic objective and a built-in non-standard ocular. Serial 4757

The production book describes this as one of a batch of 24 "Universal Bases" given to G Pitt on the 6th July with the last returned on March 19th 1868. But this stand was sent to the Cornhill shop on the 31st July 1867.

Good overall condition.