Description

The original Cuff microscope emerged around 1745 and gained significant popularity, largely thanks to the efforts, writings and patronage of Henry Baker. Since the microscope was never patented—a complicated process in the 18th century—numerous copies quickly appeared, made by other English manufacturers as well as by some continental European makers in countries where microscopes were popular, including France, the Netherlands and German Lands. These imitations retained the core concept of Cuff’s design while incorporating local ideas that had already influenced microscope construction in these regions. Notably, some of these designs often reflected the influence of the box microscope, which had been popular primarily in France since the early 18th century. These makers built upon the original model, enhancing it by replacing Cuff’s subtle focusing system with a more user-friendly rack-and-pinion focusing mechanism and eliminating the original Hevelius screw, which was unnecessary due to the limited magnification and resolution capabilities of 18th-century microscopes. While French maker, Claude-Siméon Passemant, generally adhered to Cuff’s original design, making only minor modifications, examples from the German Lands (such as Georg Friedrich Brander of Augsburg) and Dutch makers (such as Jacobus Lommers or Jacob Huysen/Huijsen of Utrecht) were more innovative, adopting the main idea of Cuff’s design while incorporating indigenous ideas that had already taken root in these countries. Dutch makers primarily took the idea that the brass parts of the microscope could be dismantled and stored in a wooden case, which served as the base for the instrument when in use. Only a limited number of examples of their signed microscopes are known, primarily held in the Museum Boerhaave in Leiden, the Golub collection and a few other public and private collections. These examples exhibit a high level of inter as well as intra variability while still adhering to the basic concept, indicating that each instrument was likely produced as a unique piece for a specific client, making it challenging to find exact signed similarities.

The design of the instrument clearly indicates that it is a Dutch product, crafted by a leading master instrument maker. However, the significance of the designs of the few signed instruments from these makers makes it challenging to attribute unsigned items to either of them. The microscope comes in an elegant wooden box, likely made of oak, resembling a pencil case with a sliding lid. This design allows the microscope to be stored separately or placed on top of the box, along with its accompanying accessories. The accessories are kept in a separate compartment within the box and include four objectives, with the one featuring the highest magnification protected by a domed brass cover.

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