MODEL: IMPROVED LARGE FIRST CLASS (No. 1) MICROSCOPE
DATE: 1856
MAKER: POWELL & LEALAND
SIGNED: 'Powell & Lealand, 4 Seymour Place, Euston Square, London 1856
SERIAL NUMBER: none but dated 1856
MODEL: 'Improved Large First Class Microscope'
DESCRIPTION: This microscope, unfortunately no longer in my collection, is signed and dated: Powell & Lealand, 4 Seymour Place, Euston Square, London , 1856. It has a minimum height of 35 cm with the eyepiece in place. It arises from a large tripod, the type of which was to become one of the hallmarks of these makers. The triangular bar limb has rack and pinion coarse focus. Fine focus is via long lever from the rear top of the arm. The arm could rotate to the side to allow easy access to the stage, and return to the center where a stop ensures centration. There are two strutts to steady the optical tube. The relatively thin (for the time) mechanical stage encorporates the concentric X and Y controls after Turrell. In addition, the slide-holding portion can independently rotate by hand. An important addition, compared to the 1843 model, is a rack and pinion substage. The mirror is attached on one side only to a quadrant of brass articulated to two arms, allowing very oblique illumination. A fine non-achromatic condenser was present. There were also six objectives, and a single eyepiece still with the microscope.
HISTORY OF THE POWELL & LEALAND FIRST CLASS MICROSCOPES.
This microscope was a transitional form introduced after the original form of 1843. It then became their first class microscope, just like its predecessor. It is not a No 2, but did form the basis for that microscope, which was apparently first introduced in the 1860's. For a detailed history of the Powell & Lealand tripod-based first class microscopes, starting with the first model of 1843, please see the history section of the page about the later P & L Number 1 model on this site
Other examples of the model shown at the top of this page include one dated 1854 also on this site, another dated 1857, found in the booklet 'Microscopes from the Frank Collection' and another, originally belonging to Lionel S. Beale is in the collection of the R.M.S. Still another was sold in March of 1996 by Sotheby's. is also on this site.
