Skip to content
History of Science Museum

Compound Microscope in Case, by C. Reichert, Vienna, c.1900

Inventory Number 14885


Acknowledgement: © History of Science Museum, University of Oxford, inv.14885

Subject
Microscopy
Item type
Object
Provenance
Lent by the Royal Microscopical Society in 1970. Bequeathed to the Society by A. A. C. Eliot Merlin in 1948.
Primary inscriptions
"C REICHERT. WIEN No 19048" on the body tube "C.BAKER 244 HIGH HOLBORN LONDON." on box "No. 19048" on box
Physical material
Brass
Nickel
Object type
Microscope
Dimensions
Height: 250mm Width: 100mm
Inventory No
14885
Accession Number
1970-101/part

Description

The stand and pillar are integrated and made of black enamelled cast copper alloy. The nickel-plated body tube is attached to the pillar by diagonal rack work for coarse focusing. Fine focusing is by micrometre screw at the top of the pillar. The stage is circular and has two spring clips. A sub stage Abbe illuminator with an iris diaphragm is set beneath the stage and below it is a Plano-concave mirror.

The microscope is stored in a wooden case with purple felt lined supports for holding the instrument and its accessories. The case contains two central stops with apertures of different sizes and a card pill-box labelled in German and containing six square coverslips. The case's key is also stored in the box.

The case is marked with the name Charles Baker, who was agent for six or more German microscope makers. This instrument was advertised by Baker as the "Reichert Stand VII".