Description

Standing 11 inches tall on a 5 inch diameter brass ring, this Victorian microscope lamp shows some upper lamp innovations beyond the Swift-type lamp but very little use.

Signed “Baker, 244 High Holborn, London”, it retains the typical round glass reservoir and stopper (often broken and later replaced by metal ones), paraffin oil lamp burner and wick (original) assembly, japanned/anodized metal tapering chimney (often cracked in the Swift models) with original blue glass filter and with a fully adjustable (both axes) brass stem with knurled tightening nut. The unit can extend to a maximum height of 17 inches. Simple and elegant. No case. Minor loss of black enamel on the terminal ring holder.

Charles Baker was at this address during the 1850’s, expanded his business to incorporate German made microscopes in the 1860’s but later examples were signed W.C. after the standarisation of the postal system in London.