Description

Offered for sale is a collectable rare-to-market example of Watson’s Royal model of brass microscope.  It’s quite an imposing instrument standing over 18 inches high when the draw-tubes and coarse focus are in fully racked out configuration and I hope that the listing photos do the instrument justice and showcase its excellent show-piece condition.  This example dates to around 1919 based on its serial number 24781 which is engraved on the tripod just above the rear foot.  

The Royal model was produced by W. Watson & Sons based on a design scheme originally proposed by famous Belgian microscopist Henri Van Heurck (1839 – 1909) and was intended to be a slightly smaller and more affordable version of the top-of-the-range Watson instruments of the time, which were the Van Heurck models – No. 1, Circuit Stage and Grand.  

The Van Heurck, Royal and Edinburgh models of Watson microscope all bear the same signature shape and were essentially based upon Watson’s original Edinburgh microscope design, which they had been manufacturing in various guises since about 1887.  The signature form most commonly uses a tripod base and lister-type upper limb with vernier screw operating on an internal lever fine focus mechanism.  This particular Royal model is fitted with the usual additional features one finds on this model, which are described in detail within the body of the listing.  

Watson’s Royal model is fairly easy to distinguish from its more common Edinburgh-H sibling, although the distinctions between the two do change slightly over time and can blur further if an Edinburgh-H model has been factory-ordered with accessories.  Royal models usually have the following easy-to-spot features:

– Slightly more substantial construction to the upper & lower limb above and below the pivot point – from about 1912 onwards
– Cork pads to the tripod feet allowing use on a polished surface – all Royal models have this
– Tension adjustment to the coarse focus pinion gear – although this useful feature also appears on some Edinburgh-H examples towards the end of its production run
– Mechanical adjustment for a second eyepiece draw-tube with dual sided thumb-wheel control and rackwork fitted to the front of the optical tube.  Note that the Edinburgh-H model could be ordered with a mechanical draw-tube as a factory-fitted accessory, but the accessory has a single thumb-wheel and different rackwork configuration.  I wonder how many people have over the years bought an Edinburgh-H with this accessory assuming it to be a Royal model.
– Sub-stage fine adjustment, with a horizontally mounted thumb-wheel – usually this was an extra for Royal models and confusingly it was also offered as an extra for the Edinburgh-H model.

For information, I have included a couple of pages from Watson’s 1912-13 product catalogue describing the key distinguishing features of the Royal model at the end of the listing photo stream.

Turning to the technical details of this instrument, the construction is a heavy cast brass tripod in black painted finish, with bun feet shod with cork pads.  Pivot with tension adjustment available and Royal-style more substantial upper Lister-type limb also in black finish.  Coarse focus is via rack and pinion, with the optical tube holding in position with reasonably smooth action through its working range.  Note on condition: the pinion gear is worn and has been re-profiled, with the tension setting adjusted and rack shimmed-out. Fine focus is operated via a separate brass thumb-wheel, located at the rear of the upper limb which operates a vernier screw acting on an internal lever system and it works nice and smoothly being freshly adjusted and lubricated. 

With its optics, this Watson Royal microscope comes with a monocular graduated brass eyepiece draw-tube inside another graduated draw-tube operated via a mechanical rack and pinion system, all of which sits inside a main lacquered brass monocular tube.  Extending the draw-tubes noticeably increases the available magnification and you also have to re-focus.  

There’s a selection of top-hat eyepieces supplied as follows:

– Holos 10x magnification with integral draw-tube
– Holos 20x magnification with integral draw-tube

There’s a selection of objective lenses mainly by Watson and a later 1930s Watson brass triple turret which rotates with good feel when the objectives align with the optical axis.  The objective selection is as below:

– I inch para Watson – 6x magnification
– 1/6th inch para Watson – 40x magnification – two of these are supplied
– 1/12th inch by F. Koristka, Milan – oil immersion required – 100x magnification
(The objectives are mainly supplied with brass canisters)

Overall therefore, the range of magnification available with this Royal with the draw-tubes set at standard length, ranges from about 60x with the lowest power lens combination, up to a theoretical 2,000x with highest power combination.

The mechanical stage is in brass, of standard square design with and x/y adjustment thumb-wheels on the right-hand side, which move nice and smoothly with good feel and just the right resistance to motion.  The stage also has a sliding bar with slide clips and a thumb-screw locking mechanism.  There’s also a useful slide ejection feature – by rotating the thumb-screw on the left of the sliding bar, the mechanism pops out the slide for easy removal – a nice Watson touch.  The instrument also tilts for inclined viewing, holding in position as it should on inclination and can be tightened if necessary.

Turning to the sub-stage, we have a top-mount condenser fitted in the brass ring-carrier, with a Beck top lens and centering controls comprising brass thumb-screws, which sits in a height adjustable rack and pinion mount along with additional vernier fine adjustment via a horizontally mounted thumb-wheel that’s located below-stage.  There’s also a single-sided brass thumb-wheel for coarse adjustment of the height.  The filter carrier fitted accepts 20mm filters.  The condenser assembly also swings out for maintenance as shown and has a working iris to control lighting levels which has a smooth action.  The Beck top lens also comes with its own brass canister and dark-field stop.

Lighting is via a later replacement plano-concave mirror on a gimballed slider, which sits on a height and swing adjustable brass support arm, with silvering that’s in near perfect condition to both sides.

The instrument and its controls have been very gently dusted, with the friction surfaces and moving parts sparingly lubricated so that they operate smoothly with only very slight age-appropriate signs of wear – note points on condition re coarse focus mentioned earlier in the listing.  This instrument presents extremely well and is in almost pristine condition, which is remarkable for a 107 year old technical instrument of this type.  The brass-work catches the light beautifully, showing only very minor wear losses, which is what you’d hope for with an antique instrument of this age and quality that’s been really well cherished and cared for through what must have been several changes of ownership.  Overall, it’s in fine shape and capable of producing some nice images.  This example is essentially a collectible Watson Royal model, in very good cosmetic condition for its age and it’ll make a usable instrument and also a stunning and imposing display piece.  It also presents rather well while being used as a desk-top instrument and will also look good in a library or home office setting.

Accessories supplied:

– wooden case containing various slide-making tools & equipment
– small box of blank slides
– several small boxes of cover slips
– specimen jars
– projector-type eyepiece by Watson (note – some internal cloudiness)
– Beck condenser top-lens in brass canister with dark-field stop

There’s no storage case with this instrument at the present time. 

Owing to the weight and delicacy of this antique microscope and accessory case, it will be partially dismantled, everything will be very well wrapped for shipping and the final package will be dispatched by insured courier upon receipt of cleared funds.  Yes, it’s expensive, but it will be quite difficult to find another example of a Watson Royal in such fine cosmetic condition.  So, if there’s a gap in your collection for a Watson Royal, or if the Royal is something of a grail piece, as it was with me for a long time, then maybe you’ve finally found it.  

UK insured shipping by Royal Mail Special Delivery. Overseas insured shipping as quoted in the listing.

Thanks for looking.