Unsigned, but each apparently made by the same manufacturer
These microscopes have
a number of features in common which suggests that
they originated from the same workshop. Three of them have a unique stage focusing mechanism
consisting of a stationary pinion operating on a
moveable rack which is embedded within the pillar and
which is attached to the stage. Each microscope has
an identical mirror and mirror mounting. These
microscopes can frequently be found in
different configurations, either as stand-alone
versions mounted on a brass disk or as case-mounted
microscopes. Although the country of origin for these
instruments is not known with certainy, it is assumed
they are of French manufacture dating from the 3rd
quarter of the 19th century and onward. They can be found with
the typical French triple button achromatic
objectives or with separate non-achromatic
objectives. An example of one of these microscopes,
on the top left, has been been observed
having a storage box with an importer's trade label
marked "Benj. Pike & Sons, 518 Broadway, New
York". This firm had this name and address from 1855
to around 1863, thus helping to establish an
approximate date for some of these instruments.
Another different microscope in this collection
also has some characteristics suggesting that it
may have been made by the same firm as those shown on this page.
An example of the
microscope on the top left has been observed with a
signature on the tube: Golvin, Opticien, 9 Passage
Jouffroy, Paris while an example of the microscope on
the bottom left has been observed with the signature: J
Kübler Ing Opt, 23 Passage du Saumon, Paris; it is
not clear if either firm is a manufacturer or just a
retailer of these microscopes.