Hartnack model VII large compound microscope
Date: circa 1880
Inventory Number: 1145a
Classification: Microscope
Dimensions:unassembled microscope: 29 × 10.5 × 14 cm (11 7/16 × 4 1/8 × 5 1/2 in.)
case: 16.5 × 35.2 × 22.8 cm (6 1/2 × 13 7/8 × 9 in.)
box: 17.8 × 35.6 × 22.9 cm (7 × 14 × 9 in.)
Accessories: objectives in green leather box (5): 2, 4, 6, 7, and unmarked; objectives in brown box (2): 2, 3; oculars (5); 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; polarizing eyepiece and substage apparatus; substage condenser; substage cup diaphragms (4); slider with sleeve to hold substage accessories; large bull's eye condenser with stand; aperture-stop rotating wheel; blue filters (3); flat case; case keys (2).
Description1145a is an E. Hartnack & A. Prazmovski Model VII large monocular compound microscope with a case full of accessories.
1145b is a binocular eyepiece for this microscope stored in its own case.
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The monocular microscope (1145a) has a heavy horseshoe-shaped brass base with chamois on the underside. The pillar is a flat column with a slot to carry the substage apparatus. At the hinge there is an arm that carries the stage in front and the cylindrical post in the rear. The post has a bracket that uses rack and pinion to mate with the primary body tube. Eyepieces fit directly into the top of this tube, and objectives screw to its nose. The coarse focus is by rack and pinion. The fine focus is by a screw located on top of the post.
The microscope has a square stage of bright brass with a slab of darkened brass on its top. There are two brass stage clips. Located beneath the stage is a circular brass plate with a dovetail for a slide. The slide has a sleeve to hold an Abbe condenser, polarizer, or cup diaphragms. At present, a cup diaphragm is in place and the condenser is stored in the case. A plano-concave mirror is held in a blackened-brass fork mount attached to a swinging arm that joins a post moving up and down in the vertical slot in the pillar. It is secured by a locking screw.
The instrument is stored in a mahogany, dovetailed, fitted case, with cushioning of purple velvet. The lid has a padded silk pillow backed with cardstock and ribbed paper. The moire silk and paper are both purple. The cushion is removable and would have been used to store paper and notes. The case is unusual in having two brass locks, each with its own brass key. The top of the lid has a brass plate engraved with its owner's name: "James Stillman."
Accompanying accessories include a large bull's eye lens with a separate stand. The stand has a brass pillar mounted to a very heavy brass rectangular base, which is painted dark green. The underside has chamois.
There are 5 eyepieces are marked 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. There is a special polaring eyepiece with a divided circle of 0°-360° and an index. It is used the accompanying polarizing condenser that goes underneath the stage.
The objectives number 7. Two are stored in a little wooden box covered with brown leather and chased brass hardware. The lid is cushioned with padded ivory chamois, the hinge covered by green silk, and the wood block into which the objectives fit is surrounded by green silk covered cardstock. The wood block has three sockets labeled "V" and "2." There are only two objectives in the box. They are marked: 3 and 2.
The other 5 objectives are stored in another small wooden box. This one is covered with green leather and has brass hardware. The lid is cushioned with padded purple silk, the hinge covered by purple silk ribbons, and the wood block into which the objectives fit is surrounded by purple silk covered cardstock. The wood block has 5 sockets in a row for objectives labeled 2, 4, 5, 7, and 9. The objectives stored in them are marked 2, 4, [unmarked] 7, and 6. A second row in the wood block holds 3 cup diaphragms. (The fourth is in the diaphragm socket that is presently inserted in the substage sleeve.) The wood block is stamped with a serial number: 14653.
A little parts box stored in the case is made of mahogany with a sliding cover. It holds two brass case keys, 3 blue glass filter plates, and a rotating wheel of blackened brass with four different aperture stops.