Description

Offered for sale is a rare example of a large antique monocular brass microscope by English makers Charles Baker of High Holborn, London.  As far as dating goes with the instrument having a triangular section limb, I’m dating it to around the 1855 period, so slightly earlier than similar rectangular-section examples.  

The condition is generally very good, with some signs of age and use-related signs of wear to the finish on the instrument, perhaps most noticeable being the main optical tube and it essentially has the right time worn look to its lacquered finish and brass-work for a 170 year old antique instrument that’s obviously been both used and looked after.

Being a large heavy microscope with quite an imposing sense of scale, it’s also a good proposition for display, say on a desk-top or other suitable setting such as a home office, especially when set up with an antique slide.  It’s also perfectly usable, producing some nice bright images at low and medium magnification with its current set of optics and with the wooden base plate fitted it can also be used or displayed on a polished surface as shown.  Working height as demonstrated is about 22 inches, so it’s a bit taller than the Wenham binocular variant of this same model.  I’ve also put a library image of a similar Baker instrument at the end of the listing photos.

Background to C. Baker, London – source Microscope Museum

The business of Baker was founded in London in about 1765, Charles Baker, who was born in 1820, giving his name to the company from about 1851. When Charles Baker died in 1894 the firm continued under the same name but run by the Curties family until it became, in 1936, Charles Baker & Co. and subsequently, sometime in the 1940s, C. Baker Ltd. The firm’s address mostly given as 244 High Holborn, London (but sometimes 243 and 245, sometimes in combination). The firm produced optical and surgical instruments. In 1963, Vickers acquired the C Baker Ltd microscope factory and a new company called Vickers Instruments was formed. The microscope in this listing is signed with ‘BAKER, 244 High Holborn, London’ and appears to be be a version of Baker’s very large compound microscope No. 1 or Best First model. The instrument isn’t numbered and dates to circa 1855 or thereabouts.  

Turning to the main technical details of this fine Victorian monocular bar-limb microscope, we have the following:

1)  Large Y-shaped foot construction in lacquered brass with decorative finish and large twin uprights with bolsters to pivot point, with triangular bar-limb form and lacquered brass finishes to the upper parts of the instrument.  The microscope is inclinable, holds position well on adjustment and can be manually tightened at the pivot point as may be required.

2)  A monocular eyepiece unit with three top-hat eyepieces, plus draw-tube giving options to vary magnification by extending the draw-tube.  The top-hat eyepieces are marked A, B and D which will be approx 5x, 6x and 10x magnification all have nice clean optics.

3)  The instrument’s main coarse focus is controlled by a set of large thumb-wheels with smooth action.  The bar-limb design comprises a triangular section coarse focus with large pinion box.  The coarse focus has the older style straight cut rack, which supports dating to around the 1855 period.  Travel and focus are both very good with positive feel and good tightness with the optical tube holding in position as it should throughout its working range.  

Fine focus is via a single brass thumb-wheel at the rear of the optical tube positioned on the bar, acting on the nose-piece only, that also has a smooth action being freshly lubricated.

4)  There’s various brass objectives lenses as under:

– 2 inches by C. Baker – about 3x magnification
– 1 inch by C. Baker – about 6x magnification
– 4/10ths inch by R & J Beck – 15x magnification
– 1/4 inch by C. Baker – 25x magnification
(the objectives have their correct brass canisters)

The objective lenses and eyepieces supplied therefore provide an effective magnification of around 15x to 250x and it’s pleasing to note the RMS fitment, so plenty of other objectives should also fit the instrument. 

5)  The stage is of a square design in brass with some signs of surface patination to the top-plate, along with a decorative finish, which slides in the y-direction and also rotates and will complete a full 360 degree rotation.  There’s mechanical adjustment for both x and y-axes, with smooth movement from the straight-cut rack & pinion and screw adjustment mechanisms.  It’s currently fitted with a ledge for holding slides which works well, along with a couple of sockets for stage clips or stage tools, with pair of forceps shown fitted.

6)  Sub-stage there’s a two plates supplied that slide into the sub-stage recess and can also be tightened into place.  To these plates can be screw-fitted the sub-stage accessories, which are as under:

– wheel-of-stops with 3 apertures – shown fitted
– condenser lens
– nicol prism polariser with rotation

7)  Lighting is provided by a large plano-concave mirror in a brass carrier that sits in a gimbal mount slider fitted to the limb tail-piece, with height & rotation adjustment, silvering in very good condition to both sides and reflectivity that’s perfectly adequate.
 

In summary, this is a top quality very substantial example of an antique monocular bar-limb design No. 1 compound microscope from the Victorian period by C. Baker, that’s in good usable condition for its age.  This example may therefore appeal to collectors as well as specialists seeking a large imposing quality brass instrument for use and/or display from a good English maker.  

The instrument has its original fitted case with brass handle, internal drawers and lock with key.

Accessories:

– live box
– stage forceps
– nicol prism polariser
– lieberkuhn for 1 and 2 inch objectives
– some additional items as shown in case drawer

For shipping, the instrument and case will be very well packed and dispatched by insured courier upon receipt of cleared funds.  In view of the size and weight of instrument and case, it may be necessary to ship in two separate packages.

Thanks for looking.