Description

Offered for sale is a good example of an antique monocular brass microscope by London makers W. Stanley with the instrument serial number 1883 likely to dating it to around the 1880 period.  The condition is generally good, with only a few minor age and use appropriate signs of wear to the finish on the instrument and just the right time worn look to its lacquered finish and brass-work.  Being a compact instrument it’s also a good proposition for display, say on a desk-top when set up with a suitable antique slide.  It’s also perfectly usable producing some nice bright images at medium magnification with its current set of optics.

Background to W Stanley, London – source Microscope Museum

William Ford Stanley (1829 – 1909) became a wealthy entrepreneur and inventor, and one of the leading men of Croydon. Stanley began manufacturing and retailing mathematical and drafting tools in 1854, 3 Great Turnstile, Holborn, London. Either before the opening or shortly thereafter, Stanley partnered with a cousin, Henry Robinson, and the business was known as Stanley and Robinson. A second retail shop was soon opened at 3 Holborn Bars. Within 10 years, he had expanded his product line to include microscopes. In 1875, Stanley opened his “Stanley Works” in South Norwood, Surrey, a considerable factory he designed for efficient production of scientific and engineering instruments. Stanley’s business was incorporated as W.F. Stanley and Company, Limited, in 1900. William retained the majority of stock. At about 1905, a new shop was opened at 286 High Holborn. The company continued to produce instruments until it was liquidated in 1999.

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

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

2)  A monocular eyepiece unit with two top-hat eyepieces giving around 6x and 10x magnification options.  The instrument doesn’t appear to have an eyepiece draw-tube.

3)  The instrument’s main coarse focus is controlled by a set of thumb-wheels with smooth action.  The bar-limb design comprises a triangular section coarse focus which has the older style straight cut rack which supports dating to around the 1880 period.  Travel and focus are both very good with positive feel and 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 acting on the nose-piece only, that also has a smooth action being freshly lubricated.

4)  There’s a single brass objective lens which is unmarked but will be about 1/4 inch giving 25x magnification.

The objective lens and eyepieces supplied therefore provide an effective magnification of around 150x and 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, which has an etched surface finish and also rotates from side to side but does not complete a full 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 and a couple of sockets for stage clips or stage tools.

6)  Sub-stage there’s a wheel-of-stops with nicely damped rotation and 4 aperture sizes available.  There’s also a dark-ground condenser accessory as shown in the listing photos that can be screw-fitted, in substitution for the wheel-of-stops.

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

8)  There is a hardwood base plate attached to the foot giving additional stability and allowing use or display on a polished surface as required.   

In summary, this is a nice clean example of a compact antique monocular bar-limb design microscope from the Victorian period by Stanley, that’s in very good condition for its age and from an interesting London maker.  This example may therefore appeal to collectors as well as specialists seeking a quality compact brass instrument for use and/or display.  Being compact it’s also a perfect desk-top accessory, especially when set up with an appropriate antique slide – it’s about 14 inches in height when inclined as shown in listing photos.  

The instrument also has its original wooden case with extensive internal racking.  The lock and key are missing, so there’s a cupboard latch fitted to keep the case door closed. The external finish to the case is in reasonably good condition for its age.

For shipping, the instrument and case will be very well packed and dispatched by insured courier upon receipt of cleared funds.