Queen & Co., Philadelphia. * Charles Baker, London.

The "Tourist" portable model microscope with rack and pinion focusing, c. 1890

The Queen - Baker Tourist portable model microscope The Queen - Baker Tourist portable model microscope
The Queen - Baker Tourist portable model microscope The Queen - Baker Tourist portable model microscope
The Queen - Baker Tourist portable model microscope The Queen - Baker Tourist portable model microscope
The Queen - Baker Tourist portable model microscope reversed mirror

For illumination of opaque objects, the mirror bar is removed and replaced in the reverse position above the stage.

The Queen - Baker Tourist portable model microscope reversed mirror

 

The Queen - Baker Tourist portable model microscope reversed mirror

  The following was extracted from the 1883 Queen catalog:


Queen Tourist portable microscope

This microscope, now for the first introduced by us, is made portable, to meet the want of a compact instrument for use at the seaside, etc. It folds into a space about 6 1/2x3 1/4x2 3/8 inches. It is of brass throughout, handsomely finished, has broad and firm tripod base, axis for inclination to any angle, plane and concave mirrors, with adjustments for obliquity. For illumination of opaque objects, the mirror bar may be removed and replaced in the reverse position, thus bringing mirrors above the stage. The instrument stands 12 inches high when draw-tube extended (as shown in illustration). Society-screw, carrying an adapter with an achromatic object-glass of 4/10 inch focus, dividing to 8/10, which gives powers ranging from 40 to 140 diameters.

3077 and 3079 have a good fine adjustment, moving the stage, as in our Holmes Class microscope

3077. Queen's Tourist with rack and pinion and fine adjustments with live-box and forceps, in mahogany case... $22.00

3078. The same without fine adjustment....$20.00

3079. Queen's Tourist, with coarse adjustment by slip-tube and fine screw adjustment, with live-box and forceps, in case... $17.50

3080. The same, without fine adjustment...$15.00

The microscope shown on this page is unsigned by the maker. It corresponses to 3078 in the Queen catalog, the model with rack and pinion focusing and lacking the fine adjustment. Charles Baker, London sold an identical microscope. It is therefore possible that the Queen "Tourist" microscope is an import from the Baker factory. The microscope is supplied with a triple button objective as described and illustrated in the catalog; it is divisible allowing power change. The microscope comes with a single eyepiece. It is supplied with a nice mahogany case with brass handle.

Another version of this microscope signed by Queen & Co. corresponding to 3080 in the catalog is also represented in this collection.; it is the model with slip-tube focusing and lacking the fine adjustment. Both of these examples have same type of mahogany case with brass handle. Some of those that were sold directly by Baker that I have seen have a different type of case, one covered with black leather.

 

trade-card

An essay discussing the Queen business is online


 

John Reilly Jr.
John Reilly, Jr. (1876-1931)


This microscope was purchased from the grandson of the original owner, John Reilly, Jr. (1876-1931). Reilly Jr. was born in Philadelphia (where, incidentally, the Queen shop was located). He graduated Princeton University in 1898 with a MS degree and in 1901, he received electrical engineering degree at the same University. He was a passionate numismatist collector and scholar specializing in Far Eastern coins. At one time, he had the largest collection of such coins in the world. A short biography of John Reilly, Jr. is online.


Two version of the Queen/Baker "Tourist" portable microscope:
Two version of the Queen Tourist portable microscope

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