Description

A very fine early example of Zeiss compound microscope bearing the serial number 5340 and datable from 1882.

This classic Zeiss, stativ Va, microscope has an important provenance and history.

According with the Zeiss archive (see the last picture) we know that this microscope, numbered 5340, was sold to Henri van Heurck the 24 April 1882 with four Zeiss eyepieces 1, 2, 3 and 5 but without objective.

In the inside of the lead of the box, it is preserved a small manuscript paper written by Henri van Heurck with his signature given the magnification table with four objective, added by van Heurck, numbered 3, 5, 6 and 10 immersion. This serie of five objective is still present and they are from Nachet company.

So Henri van Heurck decided volontarely to buy a stativ Zeiss microscope with four objectives and added himself four Nachet objectives. We can suppose he prefered this objectives from the famous French company.

In 1882, Henri van Heurck is a very famous botanist and microscopist, in contact with all the major instrument makers in Germany, France and UK ; he is also one of the best diatomist from the period beginning to publish the important Synopsis des diatomées de Belgique which will be finished in 1885 and published in English in 1896.

We know that van Heurck bought several other Zeiss microscopes from 1877 until 1885 but this one seems to be the only known in private hands.

A very important microscope in perfect condition.

Noted : the claps and the handle on the box are later.

Size of the box is 33x10x12cm / Microscope is around 32cm height