CAMERA LUCIDA-SIMPLE MICROSCOPE

MAKER: Unknown

c. 1790-1810

Collection of: Dr. Joseph Zeligs

The simple microscope is designed to be integrated with the camera and in fact, has no provision to allow it to be used without it. A brass slider with 4 lenses fits within guides in front of the prism to be set at indicated spots for each lens. All lenses are relatively low power, the highest about 25X.

A brass stage features two brass bar extensions, by which it attaches to slots on either side of the brass housing for the camera lucida. The stage has provisions for specimen sliders, a stage forceps and a fish—plate, all present in the outfit. One of the stage clips for sliders is largely missing. There is also a unique Lieberkuhn, which screws into a brass mount. The rectangular mount has two brass locating pins that serve to position it on the brass-bound camera lucida such that it is in the optical axis, directly in front of the lens slider, and could potentially provide illumination on opaque specimens. This Lieberkühn stores on one of the finished wooden stays in the case, facing downward and against a glass protector for its silvered surface. The lieberkuhn would be used to view opaque objects such as a fly or a leaf attached to the stage forceps.