This is an Abbe
microspectroscope signed “Carl Zeiss, Jena, No.
338” dating from the last quarter of the 19th
century. It is designed to replace the eyepiece of
a microscope and allows the observation and
measurement of the visible absorption spectrum of a
microscopic specimen. It measures about 5-inches
long. The instrument is equipped with numerous
adjustments and mirrors to control slit widths and
light sources. A calibrated scale can be projected
onto the spectrum and the spectrum of a comparison
sample can be observed simultaneously with that of
the specimen by place a tube containing a solution
of the sample on the stage of the
microspctroscope.
AMICI prism (Direct Vision Prisms)
The AMICI prisms generate dispersion of polychromatic
light with simulaneous correction of divergence. All
the dispersed beam output from the prism are parallel
to the input beam. These Prisms consist of three
prisms, which are cemented together Two of the three
prisms (A prism in the left draft) are made of
different material lo the other prism (B prism in the
left draft). Typical combination of materials are Flint
galss for A and Crown glass for B.