Description

The emergence of the original Cuff microscope in about 1745 gained considerable publicity and promotion on the initiative and books of Henry Baker. Because the microscope was never patented, a process that was quite complicated in the 18th century, copies of it soon appeared by other English makers and European makers in countries where the microscope was widely used: France, the Netherlands and the German lands. These imitations adopted the main idea of ​​Cuff’s design, adding indigenous ideas that have already taken root in these countries in the context of microscope designs. Among other things, one can see in the French and German designs the influence of the box microscope that has been prevalent there since the beginning of the 18th century. Various manufacturers contributed to the original pattern and perfected it, among other things, by giving up Cuff’s unobtrusive focusing system and replacing it with a more convenient rack and pinion focus that left out the original Hevelius screw for the fine focusing, which was not necessary due to the magnification limitations of these microscopes. The example seen here presents a typical design, most likely of a Dutch manufacturer whose identity is uncertain.