For illumination of opaque objects, the mirror bar is
removed and replaced in the reverse position above the stage.
The following was extracted from the 1883 Queen catalog:
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.
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: