The microscope pictured here has a gliding stage, the type invented by Joseph Zentmayer but this one is made mainly of glass with a brass fitting held on to the glass by knobs on each side. This fitting has a cutout circular ring. The tip of a pressure fitting rides in this cutout, holding the glass plate in place; this fitting has adjustable
pressure. The slide rest on top of the glass has an unusual L-shaped fitting for holding the stage clip from the side. The piece of metal holding the clip has a small support rod(blue arrow) at its distal end which supports that end on the stage. Wale used this stage, or a similar one, on many of his microscopes, commonly with this unusual stage clip arrangement. The gliding glass stage was very popular with physicians because it allows free movement of the slide in a controlled manner, yet allows
it to remain whereever moved without slipping even when the microscope is inclined. This type of stage was
supplied with Zentmayer's early 'Grand American' microscopes.
Zentmayer's was mainly made of brass and rode on two brass rails; the glass version, seen here, and also on other maker's scopes, rests on a rail which circles the entire stage. Bausch and lomb used a modification of this design and it is also seen on the Beck 'Pathological' stand, as well as the Beck 'Ideal' model as an option.
