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MICROSCOPE-ANTIQUES.COM     © 2013-16.




 

Compound Microscope

c. 1860's

Maker: Moritz Pillischer

Model: '£5 Prize Medal Microscope'

Collection of: Dr. Jurriaan de Groot

DESCRIPTION HISTORY

Pillischer Prize Medal microscope

Pillischer Prize Medal microscope

Pillischer Prize Medal  microscope

Pillischer Prize Medal microscope

Pillischer Prize Medal  microscope

Pillischer Prize Medal microscope

DESCRIPTION:
Pillischer Prize Medal  MicroscopeThis microscope, in the collection of Dr Jurriaan de Groot, is a Bar Limb microscope. The main body of the microscope is supported by two uprights similar to those used by Andrew Ross, but with cutouts which reduce weight and also use less brass. There is a long lever nosepiece fine focus via the arm. The single optical tube with draw tube detaches from the arm for storage in the box. This example is equipped with Pillischer's 'Lever Stage.'   and there is a sleeve attached to the bottom of the stage to accept accessories such as a wheel of apertures. The mirror is concave. The lever stage attaches to one side of the stage with a screw and bends over the other side to wrap around it; it is controlled with a single lever. As shown in the image of the open case above, the lever apparatus and optical tube store in the case. They must be removed in order for the microscope to fit in its case. The objective is a single divisible objective which was originally a quarter inch which divided into a 1 inch, thus saving the expense of a second full objective.

I am very grateful to my good friend Dr Jurriaan de Groot for supplying the images of his Prize Medal Microscope so that I can share them with you.



HISTORY OF THIS MICROSCOPE
According to Pillischer, this microscope, was the only one receiving an award at the International Exhibition of 1862. He states that this award was given for 'Novelty of Construction, Excellence of Workmanship, and Cheapness.'   Many authors complemented Pillischer's Prize Medal microscope, particularly for the quality of its objectives and also the clever and useful stage arrangement.

Pillischer was not the first to win a prize for an inexpensive Bar Limb microscope. Field and Son won the Society of Arts Prize for their design in 1854. The quality of that microscope was not as good as Pillischer's, but it certainly cost less at 3 guineas. An example of the Society of Arts Prize Microscope by Field is shown on this website. Many makers copied the Society of Arts design and even called their models 'Society of Arts Prize' microscopes. Unfortunately, a condition of the award was that Field was required to maintain the microscope in Stock and at that price which, in view of the aforementioned copies, eventually caused Field financial distress which may have contributed to their selling off parts of their business and eventually leaving the microscope trade.