I Buy Antique Microscopes

I Buy Antique Microscopes

antique brass microscopes

I have been collecting antique brass microscopes for over 3 decades and there are still many models that I would like to add to my collection. In addition to the antique microscopes made by both American and European manufacturers, I am interested in obtaining old microscope related accessories, which include items such as lenses (objectives, eyepieces, condensers), parts, microscope oil lamps, hand-held magnifiers, and professionally prepared specimen slides. I am also seeking early microscope related literature, trade catalogs, and other historical artifacts showing early microscopes and other types of scientific instruments. Basically, I am interested in anything to do with the history of the microscope. If you have an antique microscope for sale, please let me know about it. I will answer all correspondence.

On this web site, you can see some of the antique microscopes in my collection. They date from the middle of the 18th to the beginning of 20th century. Be sure to visit the other pages of this site in order to get a comprehensive look at the entire collection. Browse simply by viewing the pictures on different pages or by utilizing the Site Index, which is organized by the country of origin and manufacturer.

	Email contact: wissnera@optonline.net Allan Wissner P.O. Box 102 Ardsley NY 10502 USA Ph: 914 231-7552 about me click on the images for more information
Powell and Lealand, London. Student microscope with Varley stage.		Smith Beck & Beck, London #3008. The Universal Microscope


Binocular microscope: J. Zentmayer, Maker, Philadelphia, pat. 1876, #1343. The American Centennial Model.	Portable microscope: James W. Queen & Co., Phila.. The Tourist model.	G. Langguth Jr.,Optician, Chicago (retailer) c. 1865 (likely made by Samuel Murset, Philadelphia).

Articles of interest about antique microscopes and other instruments:

Site Index

The Bausch & Lomb Optical Co.s Professional Model Microscopes. 1876-1896

Index of Microscopes and Accessories for the Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society. 1878-1907

Some Early Microscopes from the Optical Institute in Wetzlar

The Prize Microscopes Awarded by the New York Homeopathic Medical College. 1874-1916

Some links to other antique microscope collections and related sites

Do I sell microscopes from this collection?


Portable binocular microscope: J. Swift & Son, 43 University St., London W.C. c.1879	French Drum Microscope, c. 1865. Trade Label of James Foster Jr., Mathematical & Philosophical Instrument Maker, Cincinnati	Portable microscopes: binocular: J. Swift & Son, No. 260 monocular: J. Swift & Son, No. 438, Miliitary Portable, agents Hughes Owens Co.	Binocular microscope: Smith, Beck & Beck, 31 Cornhill, London, #4375. The "Large Best" model , c. 1866


J. Zentmayer, Philadelphia. Four examples of the US Army Hospital Model microscope: Serial numbers from left to right monocular #975, binocular #723., both before 1876; monocular #1867, binocular #3773, both after 1876.			Binocular microscope Jackson Model 1A: Ross, London, #4001



Zeiss Jena, 555/1243. c. 1867	Portable microscope: W. Watson & Sons Ltd., 313 High Holborn, 10951. c. 1906	T. Cooke, York, c.1860. Monocular microscope.	Small French microscope with lever stage mechanism.	Hensoldt Wetzlar, Protami Field or Travelling Microscopes. Left: serial No. 13279; Right: serial number 3127


Ross binocular microscope: c. 1870	J. & W. Grunow, New Haven Ct. No. 196. The Student's Larger Microscope, c. 1855	Monocular microscope: Ross, London, #3224	F.L. West, 39 Southampton St., Strand, #12 c.1855. Early bar-limb design.



J. Davis, Derby, c. 1860. Early bar-limb design.	Monocular microscope: Abraham, Liverpool c. 1840	Monocular microscope: Seibert #5257	Continental microscope: c. 1840



Bausch & Lomb Optical Co., Rochester NY, #1364. A rare transitional model, c. 1880	Both: James W. Queen & Co., Philadelphia. Universal Household Microscope. c.1885		Bausch & Lomb Optical Co., patent Jan. 21, 1879, #4819. Student model microscope with Wale limb.


W. Waston & Sons Ltd, 313 High Holborn, London #11787. The Edinburgh Student model.	Both: Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. The Investigator models. left: serial No. 3634, c. 1885 ; right: serial No. 6818, c. 1890		French bar-limb microscope with Varley stage. Trade label of John C. Sack, San Francisco. c. 1870


J. Grunow, New York, Roosevelt Memorial c. 1890	Yawman & Erbe, monocular microscope c. 1880		Two microscopes signed J. Grunow, New York. Left No. 676; right No. 780	Ernst Gundlach, monocular microscope, c. 1879


Carl Zeiss, Jena No. 47238. The "Jug Handle"- Stand I model microscope. c. 1906	Case mounted microscope. Charles Chevalier, Ingenieur Optician Brevete, Paris, c.1845	Carl Zeiss, Jena, No. 30156, Continental Microscope Stand Ia. c. 1898	Microscope Universel à Grossissement Variable. French Pocket microscope with variable magnification, c. 1925


Drum microscopes: from left to right, 1 Nachet Opticien, rue des Grands Augustins, Paris 2. A. Kruss, Hamburg, No. 260 3. Nachet Opticien, rue Serpente 16, Paris.	Drum microscopes: from left to right, 1. E. Hartnack, sucr. G.Oberhaeuser, Place Dauphene 21, Paris. 2. Made expressely for C. Duhamel, Optician, new-Orleans.	Drum microscopes: from left to right, 1. Lerebours, a Paris 2. Bertrand furnace microscope 3. J. & A. Molteni, 44 rue du Chateau d'eau, Paris


Microspectroscopes: from left to right: R& J Beck, London: John Browning, London Carl Zeiss, Jena	Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. Universal model monocular microscope, c. 1889	Ross, London #5008. Small Ross-Zentmayer model microscope


Continental microscopes: both: C. Verick, élève spécial du Hartnack	Continental microscopes: left: Nachet Opticien, rue Serpente 16, Paris.. right: CarlZeiss, Jena #9546	Continental microscopes left: Franz Poeller, Munchen (probably made by A. Chevalier, Paris).right: F.W. Schieck


W. Watson & Sons, 313 High Holborn, London #3925. c. 1897. The Royal Van Heurck model with binocular and monocular tubes and continental base.	James W. Queen & Co., Philadelphia and New York. The Educational Model Microscope, c. 1870	Binocular microscope: H. Crouch, 51 London Wall, London, #574. c. 1871	Portable microscopes: Hensoldt Wetzlar: Tami #11721, Metami #1201


Large Culpeper style microscope c.1800	left: Early Watson microscope right: Gebr Mittelstrafs, Magdeburg	A group of case-mounted Cary type microscopes c. 1830-1840


C.A. Steinheil Sohne, Muenchen. Set of aplanatic loupes with handle and loupe stand.	Botanical compass microscope c. 1850	Double pillar French microscope c. 1875


Bausch & Lomb Optical Co., Rochester NY. Pat. Oct. 3, 1876. The Student's Model Microscope, c. 1878	James W. Queen & Co., Philadelphia and New York. The Student Model Microscope, c. 1880	E.H. & F.H. Tighe, Detroit Mich., Small monocular microscope, c. 1890	Lyman D. McIntosh, Chicago (unsigned). Pat. March 13, 1883. Microscope for a Solar and Stereopticon Combination, c. 1885


T. H. McAllister N.Y. The Popular Model microscope	Unsigned monocular microscope on a double pillar. Likely American-made c. 1880	Inclining drum Microscope, French c.1870	English Drum Microscope c. 1850


Cary-Gould type microscope: New Improved Pocket Compound Microscope c. 1830	E. Leitz in Wetzlar # 1751. Large microscope with polarizing attachments. c. 1874	Unsigned English microscope with round base c. 1865	J & W Grunow, New York #267. Small microscope on a wood and iron base c. 1864.


Nachet & Fils, 17 rue St. Severin, Paris. Hayem-Nachet Hemocytometer, c. 1890	Carl Zeiss, Jena. Abbe's drawing camera (camera lucida, Zeichenapparat nach Abbe), c. 1895	E. Hartnack sucr. de G. Oberhaeuser. Place Dauphine 21, Paris, #3886. Case-mounted drum microscope, c. 1861


James W. Queen & Co. Two examples of the Acme No. 3 model microscope. c. 1890	Sidle and Poalk, Philadelphia. "The ACME" No. 17, c. 1879	James W. Queen & Co. #1476 The Acme No. 4 model microscope. c. 1887. The microscope of Dr. Edward E. Maxey, MD (1867-1934)


Queen & Co # 2215. The Acme No. 5 model microscope. c. 1893	Two versions of the Nonpareil model microscope. Signed by Ernst Gundlach and Yawman & Erbe, c. 1884	Geo. Wale, Patent June 6, 1876. Fusee chain focusing microscope.	J. Zentmayer, Phila., Dissecting Microscope. c. 1890


Benj. Pike's Son & Co., 930 Broadway NY. The Professional model microscope, c. 1878	Pike Maker, 930 Broadway New York, No. 1181. Fusee chain focusing microscope, c. 1880	James W. Queen & Co., Philadelphia and New York. The Student Model Microscope, c. 1874	T. H. McAllister, N. Y. The Professional Model Microscope c. 1878


J. Zentmayer Philadelphia, Serial No. 330 The "Grand American" binocular model,c. 1867	Chas. Lentz & Sons, Philadelphia, Pat. Oct. 3, 1876 and Oct 13, 1885. Made by the Bausch & Lomb Opt. Co., Rochester, NY	Miller Bros., New York (unsigned). The Student Model Microscope, c. 1879	Gundlach Optical Co., Rochester, N.Y. Continental style microscope, c. 1895


L. Schrauer, Maker, New York. Prize Microscope Awarded to Frederick Hills Cole, M.D., 1894	C. Verick, rue de la Parcheminerie, 2, Paris, No. 3036. Verick-Malassez Travelling or Pocket Microscope, c. 1880	Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. Pat'd Oct. 8, 1876. The Professional model microscope with binocular and petrological tubes


	R. & J. Beck, London and Philadelphia, #8900. The New National Model Microscope, c. 1880		A cased set of microscope specimen preparation and display tools. Sold by James W. Queen & Co., Philadelphia, c.1885


The Gundlach Manhattan Optical Co. The Simplex Model, c. 1910. Case mounted microscope	Franz Schmidt & Haensch, Berlin, No. 256. Middle model No. 4, c. 1870.	Signed on the back of the base: L. Schrauer, Maker, New York and on one leg of the base: W. M. Keene, B. Sc. M. D. Continental style microscope, c.1890	The Improved Griffith Club Microscope. Signed: E. H. Griffith, Pat. Dec. 14, 86, Fairport, N.Y. #840. c. 1887


R. & J. Beck, London, # 6283. The Popular Model Binocular Microscope. c. 1872	James W. Queen & Co., Philadelphia and New York. The Student Model Microscope, c. 1871	Carl Zeiss, Jena, Germany, #3646. Binocular eyepiece "Bitumi" for stereoscopic observation of microscopic objects with a single objective c. 1925	G. & S. Merz in Munchen N:726. Middel model microscope, c. 1865


Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. Rochester NY, ,40018. The CCDS Continental Model Microscope, c. 1903	Carl Zeiss, Jena No. 51081. The Model IIIE microscope with large mechanical stage, c. 1910	F. Koristka, Milano #6827. Large Continental Microscope, c. 1900	Bausch & Lomb Optical Co., Rochester N.Y. U.S.A., #162120. The No. 40 Model Pocket Microscope. c. 1923.


Drum microscopes. left: Schiek in Berlin, No. 965, c. 1859. right: Schiek in Berlin, No. 137, c.1842.	R. & J. Beck Ltd, London, #29446. The London-Handle Model Microscope, c. 1910	French Drum Microscope with rack and pinion focusing, c.1850. The microscope of George Tate (1805-1871)

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