This is an extremely rare if not unique example of an early transitional microscope signed by Cary of London, though it may have been made by a 'maker to the trade.'
It is relatively small measuring about 11 inches high from the table to the eyepiece in the position shown in the
first photograph above. The lead-weighted round foot measures about 3 1/4 inches in diameter. The original case has
fittings for the microscope with the optical tube removed. There is a single drawer with a cloth pull in the case.
This instrument has several features of different microscopes of the early nineteenth century. Furthermore, clearly
of an early design, it was adapted to use achromatic objectives of the middle nineteenth century. The optical tube has
a shape in common with Jones Most Improved and Cary-Gould type microscopes. Focus is by rack and pinion to the triangular
bar supporting the arm and optical tube. The mirror is supported by a single half-yolk which in turn is supported by
a ring sliding on the round tailpiece. The foot and support column have features similar to some rare microscopes made
by Andrew Ross, particularly the ball joint and its key-shaped tension adjustment. The arm has an "aquatic" motion which
includes the rack and pinion forward-backward adjustment and also swivelling motion in the horizontal plane.
The two stage clips have long pins fitting into the stage and at the bottom end of each pin is a knob preventing
the stage clips from being pulled out completely.
The outfit includes:
The slides are contained in two dark-maroon colored tooled leather cases, typical of those also sold by, and signed by
Pritchard, though these two cases are unsigned. The transparent subjects include 'sponge,' 'cane,' 'Feather Goldfinch,'
'dissected leaf,' 'Wing case cymex,' 'Moss,' 'Peach Fly,' 'Oak circuleo wing case,' 'Leaf of a Flower,' and
'Tongue of a Bee.'
The 'Test subjects' include 'Scales brasica, curious, Test' and 'Hair of Dermestes.' There are three specimens which now lack a label. One of these three is different than the others in that it consists of
two slides cemented together by red wax, but it has lost almost all of its blue paper cover. The test objects have small
square cover slips which can be seen as raised diamond-shapes under the blue papers. The test objects are some of those suggested by Charles Gould in his books. A review of Gould's books can be seen on this website here. The other specimens are sandwiched between two slides. For further images and details of these slides see the Cary-Gould slide page here.
HISTORY OF THIS CARY ACHROMATIC MICROSCOPE
Cary is a famous maker and retailer of all kinds of scientific apparatus including globes, telescopes, and microscopes.
The Cary-Gould Microscope was a very famous non-achromatic example very popular especially in the second quarter of the
19th century; several examples of the Cary-Gould type are present in this collection. This transitional model is
however very rare and possibly unique and likely not made by Cary. The design most closely resembles those made by Andrew Ross in the mid-1830s, and it was likely modified later for achromatic objectives