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COMPOUND STUDENT MICROSCOPE

MAKER: BRITEX

c. Middle 1/3 of 20th C.

MODEL: MINOR

SIGNED: 'BRITEX MINOR, 1514'

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DESCRIPTION:
This well-made and sturdy instrument is signed in gold letters on the horseshoe foot: 'BRITEX MINOR, 1514'. On the rear of the top stage plate it is signed: 'PROV.PAT.' The foot is about 90mm (maximum) wide X about 114 mm long. In operating position with both draw tubes extended, it stands about 11 inches (about 280 mm) high. It has a black 'crinkle' finish on the foot and semigloss black finish for the Jackson limb, stage, and sleeve for the optical tube. The finish for the knurled fine focusing ring and two drawtubes is probably nickel-plated. The outer (lower) drawtube has two graduation marks. The optical tube itself has a brushed metal finish. The upper draw has no calibrations. The objective and eyepiece are unmarked. The glide stage slides back and forth, dovetailed to the bottom stage plate. The slide itself would have to moved left to right. There are two pins to register the back of the slide and a knurled offset swiveling disk to register against the front of the slide. The slightly concave mirror is supported by a projection in the center of its underside ending in a ball which rides between a fork which can also rotate and is attached to the bottom of the Jackson Limb.

HISTORY OF THE MINOR MICROSCOPE:
The Britex company made student microscopes and other equipment apparently from about the 1920's through the 1960's. They made a variety of inexpensive instruments, and the 'Minor' is one of their higher quality examples. It came in a finger-jointed wooden box. Britex also made a simple but servicable projecting microscope, and in their earlier years, a dissecting microscope. They also made lesser quality microscopes for the general or toy market, some with battery powered built-in illumination.