SLIDE-HEAD TYPE LINEN PROVER MICROSCOPE:
2ND QUARTER, 19TH CENTURY
The 'slide-head' type of linen prover, is illustrated on this page.
DESCRIPTIONS
This second example of a slide-head linen prover is identical to the Cutts model including the case, except that the diameter of the lens is 2 mm larger and the slide therefore proportionately wider. Unlike the Cutts example, this one is complete with its cap. Other than the diameter of the lens, slider width, and cap size, this example has identical features as the signed Cutts example. The outer diameter and heights are exactly the same.
This type of linen prover was commonly offered for sale in the nineteenth century, but supplanted by the Folding 'C' form and the 'Thread Counter' in the early twentieth century. For more about the history of linen provers, see the history section of the article about linen provers. For more about Cutts, see Brian Davidson's article.