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HOUSEHOLD MICROSCOPE

c. 1900

SIGNED: 'Williams, Brown, & Earle, Philadelphia, Made in France'

SERIAL NUMBER: none

MODEL: HOUSEHOLD(?)

DESCRIPTION HISTORY

 

DESCRIPTION:

wbe signatureAs shown to the left, this microscope is signed 'Williams Brown & Earle, Philadelphia, Made in France.' Like most household-type microscopes it is relatively small and of relatively simplified construction. It arises from a horseshoe foot of black-painted iron with 2 pillars supporting a Jackson-Lister limb. The gimbaled mirror is attached to the tailpiece. There are three French 'button' lenses forming the divisible objective. Focus is by rack and pinion. An articulated bullseye condenser attaches to the front of the sleeve holding the optical tube, similar to many French microscopes. There are two stage clips.



HISTORY

H.S. Williams and N.H. Brown worked for Queen and after leaving him, formed Williams Brown and Earle, a firm that continued well into the 20th century. Their catalog of 1889 stated that at that time, they were 'Sole American Agents for R & J Beck.' They also marketed microscopes made in France. One of these is the example shown on this web page. It is of more modern construction than the Queen Household or the (even older) McAllister Household models, in that the eyepiece is removable and chrome plated, though there is no drawtube.