'BEALE-TYPE' DEMONSTRATION MICROSCOPE
MAKER: ATTRIBUTED TO: JAMES HOW
MODEL: 'CLINICAL, POCKET, TRAVELLING, AND CLASS MICROSCOPE' (BEALE)
c. 1875
UNSIGNED
Please Click On Any Picture for a Larger Version
DESCRIPTION:
XXXX
HISTORY OF THE BEALE TYPE MICROSCOPE
Lionel Beale wrote in his 1865 3rd edition of How to Work with the Microscope that he had devised this type of microscope 'some years ago'. Since it is not mentioned in his 1854 book, and was shown in his second edition of 1861, one could surmise this might be around 1860. It was produced in various forms over the years by more than one maker, and is known to have been sold by William Mathews, Samuel Highley and James How. Mathews advertised it as 'Dr Beales Clinical Microscopes in 1861, and it was still listed in his catalog of 1875. Mathews version is the same as that pictured in the 1861 2nd edition of Beale's book, but the design in the third edition appeared different. Highley advertised it as 'Dr. Lionel Beale's pocket and clinical microscope' in 1862. Two of the most important features of these microscopes are the ability to lock the focus, and also clamp the slide into a fixed position. This is not the case for the microscope seen on this web page which has a large circular stage clip instead, identical to instruments signed by James How.
