Smith & Beck, London c1855

A good Victorian lacquered brass compound achromatic microscope, complete with its original case and accessories, signed and numbered on the body tube Smith & Beck 6 Coleman St London 1838.

The instrument and its accessories retain much of their original lacquer.

James Smith, a scientific instrument maker, commenced making microscopes in 1839 and took Richard Beck into partnership in 1847 trading as Smith & Beck at 6 Coleman Street, London. In 1851 Joseph Beck, the brother of Richard Beck, started working for the firm and became a partner in 1857 when the business name became Smith, Beck & Beck. When Smith retired in 1865 the business address was 31 Cornhill and the trading name changed to R & J Beck.

This instrument is an example of Smith & Beck’s microscope with ‘The Best Student’s, or No. 3 Stand’ with monocular body, housed in the original mahogany case together with a good set of accessories.

The lenses and other accessories are generally in good condition; the erecting glass has a cracked lens, the 1/5” objective lens is partly obscured.

Box size 16½ x 8½ x 6¼ inches.

The original mahogany box has the maker’s label in the lid giving details of the available lenses with their magnification and price.

The microscope has a good compliment of accessories:

Monocular microscope with:
The Best Student’s, or N0. 3, Stand
3 off Eyepieces
Diaphragm (below stage)
Achromatic Condenser (plain)
Side Condensing lens on stand for illumination of objects from above
1½” Objective Glass
²/₃” Objective Glass
⁴/₁₀” Objective Glass
¹/₅” Objective Glass Erecting Glass (lens cracked)
3 off Lieberkuhns (one each for 1½”, 2/3”, and 4/10 objective glass)
3 off Dark Wells and Holder
Parabolic Reflector (for dark field illumination)
Stage Forceps
Tweezers
Nicol’s prism Polariser
Nicol’s prism Analyser
Adapter to receive Analyser
Selenite mounted in plain brass plate
Live Box
Glass Trough
Glass Plate with ledge
Camera Lucida Attachment
Double Nosepiece
Small Box containing: Bone wedge (for use with glass trough)
                                 Glass Plate (for use with glass trough)
                                 Thin glass covers (for use with glass plate with ledge)

The accessory box has one vacant slot intended for an unknown item

The identification and use of the accessories is explained in A Treatise on the Construction, Proper Use, and Capabilities of Smith, Beck and Beck’s Achromatic Microscopes written by Richard Beck and first published in 1865. A facsimile edition was published in 1987.

Stock No. C1061