From The Journal of
the Royal Microscopical Society, pg 523,
1880
Sidle and
Poalk's Acme Microscope.This Microscope,
shown in Fig. 39, is the first cheap instrument that
we have seen with a swinging substage.
The general form of the instrument hardly needs any
description, but it may be mentioned that the stage
is made of two thin, circular brass plates, the upper
one (shown in the lower left-hand corner) fitted to
turn upon the lower, so that the object can be
rotated in the field of view. The stage can bo
centered. The upper plate can be removed, and two
spring clips attached to the lower one, either above
or below, thus making a stage for use with oblique
light. The aperture in the stage has a standard-screw
thread, to receive various accessories for
illumination when it is desired to have the mirror
move independently of them, and also to afford a
means of mounting the selenite so that it can be
revolved without turning the Nicol prism.
The mirror and substage are both attached by sliding
fittings to the same bar, which carries them around
the object as a centre. The circular piece at right
angles to the stage, gives steadiness to the bar,
wiith smooth movement, and is graduated to show the
angular direction of the illuminating pencil.
The horseshoe base is reversible, so that greater
steadiness can bo ensured when the stand is used in a
horizontal position.
The Acme line of
microscopes was first introduced in 1879 by the firm
Sidle and Poalk of Philadelphia. The microscope shown
on this web page with serial number 17 is an
example of one of the first microscopes made by this
firm. It was called "The Acme". By 1880, the firm was
located in Lancaster Pennsylvania under the name John
W. Sidle & Co. or the "Acme Optical Works".
Subsequently, the entire output of the Acme factory
was consigned to the retailer and manufacturer of
scientific instruments, James W. Queen of
Philadelphia. Later examples of microscopes from the
Acme Optical Works can be found on this
website. Among the various models produced were the
Acme No. 3, the
Acme No. 4 , and the
Acme No. 5. There are some references in the
literature to an Acme model No. 2, but I have not been able to locate an actual example of this microscope
This microscope was
formerly the property of the Cascadilla
Preparatory School of Ithaca New York. The school
was founded in 1876 by Lucien C. Wait, a Professor of
Mathematics at the nearby Cornell University. The
school was established for the special instruction of
students preparing to enter Cornell.
The history of the Sidle & Poalk business is summarized in the 1995 publication from the Lancaster City & County Medical Society Our Medical Heritage, chapter 15.