Microscopy Primer
Light and Color
Microscope Basics
Special Techniques
Digital Imaging
Confocal Microscopy
Live-Cell Imaging
Photomicrography
Microscopy Museum
Virtual Microscopy
Fluorescence
Web Resources
License Info
Image Use
Custom Photos
Partners
Site Info
Contact Us
Publications
Home

The Galleries:

Photo Gallery
Silicon Zoo
Pharmaceuticals
Chip Shots
Phytochemicals
DNA Gallery
Microscapes
Vitamins
Amino Acids
Birthstones
Religion Collection
Pesticides
BeerShots
Cocktail Collection
Screen Savers
Win Wallpaper
Mac Wallpaper
Movie Gallery

Italian Compound Microscope

This beautifully crafted eighteenth century Italian microscope is made from ivory, brass, and vellum. The model illustrated below was signed François Bailloù à Milan and has been redrawn from photographs of the original microscope, which is featured in Gerard Turner's excellent book Collecting Microscopes, a volume in Christie's International Collectors Series of books on antiques.

The turned ivory body tube contains an eye lens in the ocular position, and a bi-convex objective lens in the nosepiece. Focus is achieved by screwing the threaded body tube into or out of a circular brass plate that is supported by four decorated brass pillars. The central portion of the body tube is adorned with green vellum, which serves as a grip while focusing the microscope. Specimens are attached to a brass plate containing several openings to allow transmitted illumination. The base of the microscope is built with several circular brass plates that are separated by spacers, allowing the specimen holder to be secured into place while observing various specimens.

BACK TO EIGHTEENTH CENTURY MICROSCOPES

Questions or comments? Send us an email.
© 1998-2022 by Michael W. Davidson and The Florida State University. All Rights Reserved. No images, graphics, scripts, or applets may be reproduced or used in any manner without permission from the copyright holders. Use of this website means you agree to all of the Legal Terms and Conditions set forth by the owners.
This website is maintained by our
Graphics & Web Programming Team
in collaboration with Optical Microscopy at the
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
Last modification: Friday, Nov 13, 2015 at 02:19 PM
Access Count Since January 1, 2000: 43765
For more information on microscope manufacturers,
use the buttons below to navigate to their websites: