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

Charles Baker Student Microscope

Produced by English instrument designer Charles Baker in 1860, this microscope is part of the collection of the Institute and Museum of the History of Science in Florence, Italy. Gerard Turner has described the construction and history of this microscope in fine detail.

The microscope is built on a mahogany baseboard that supports a Y-shaped foot to which the microscope limb is attached. A monocular body tube is secured to the limb by means of a rack mechanism, which also is used to focus the microscope. Beneath the square stage is a concave substage mirror and several interchangeable condensers. Accessories surrounding the microscope include an auxiliary objective, a Nicol prism polarizer designed to be inserted beneath the stage, and a Nicol analyzer that is threaded into the back of the objective. This microscope was advertised in the 1861 edition of the Charles Baker catalog as "No. 3 Student's Microscope", which sold for a little over £ 5.

BACK TO NINETEENTH 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 02:18 PM
Access Count Since March 12, 2000: 50919
For more information on microscope manufacturers,
use the buttons below to navigate to their websites: