Zeiss stand I laboratory compound microscope
Date: 1885
Inventory Number: 1126a
Classification: Microscope
Subject:
Maker: Carl Friedrich Zeiss (1816 - 1888)
Maker: Carl Zeiss, Optische Werkstätte, Jena (1846 - 1904)
Maker: Carl Zeiss (company timeline) (founded 1846)
Inventor: Ernst Abbe (1840 - 1905)
Owner: Harold C. Ernst (1856 - 1922)
Collector: Ernst-Lewis Collection of Microscopes
Cultural Region:
Place of Origin:
Jena,
City of Use:
Dimensions:
unassembled microscope: 33.5 × 11.1 × 16 cm (13 3/16 × 4 3/8 × 6 5/16 in.)
case: 14.4 × 39.2 × 25.4 cm (5 11/16 × 15 7/16 × 10 in.)
Accessories: oculars (2): 5, 5 x 1.5; objectives (2): aa and E with canisters; Abbe condensor with swing-out mount for disk diaphragms; disk diaphragms (6); 2 cup diaphragm / cylinder stop holders; cup diaphragms (3); nicol prism polarizer in half canister; instrument case; stereoscopic eyepiece (1126c); camera lucida (1126b); blood corpuscle counting apparatus (1126d).
DescriptionThis is a Zeiss laboratory compound microscope with stand I. It has a heavy brass stage and horseshoe-shaped base. The body tube contains draw tube calibrated in millimeters. The coarse adjustment is by rack and pinion on a curved arm attached to a round post. This post contains the micrometer screw for the fine focus with a calibrated knob on top. It is marked: 1U = 0.47
The stage is rectangular. Below the stage is an abbe condensor attached to a frame that also carries a swing-out ring to hold disk diaphragms. The ring is adjustable off-center by rackwork. Six disk diaphragms are included in the instrument case. Below this on the same frame is the plane/concave mirror. The case also holds two frames for inserting cup diaphragms and other sorts of stops. These frames are designed to be attached to a rectangular pillar below the stage. Three cup diaphragms are included in the case.
Another accessory in the case is a polarizer. It is a Nicol prism mounted in a flanged cylinder that fits the diaphragm carrier of the condenser. One of the two prisms that make up the Nicol prism is missing. The polarizer is stored in the bottom half of an unmarked objective canister.
Oculars included with the microscope are 5 and a specialized long one marked 3 X15. The first is by Zeiss; the latter is unsigned. Zeiss objectives included are aa and E in their canisters.
The box is a flat case with compartments for accessories. It is padded with dark burgundy velvet. There is a brass plaque on the lid engraved "HAROLD C. ERNST M.D. / Department of Bacteriology / Harvard Medical School."
This microscope is accompanied by a small camera lucida (1126b) and a haemocytometer (blood corpuscle counting apparatus) in its own leather-bound case (inv. 1126d). Both of these are stored in the main instrument case. Stored separately is an Abbe-type stereoscopic ocular in a wooden box (1126c).
The stage is rectangular. Below the stage is an abbe condensor attached to a frame that also carries a swing-out ring to hold disk diaphragms. The ring is adjustable off-center by rackwork. Six disk diaphragms are included in the instrument case. Below this on the same frame is the plane/concave mirror. The case also holds two frames for inserting cup diaphragms and other sorts of stops. These frames are designed to be attached to a rectangular pillar below the stage. Three cup diaphragms are included in the case.
Another accessory in the case is a polarizer. It is a Nicol prism mounted in a flanged cylinder that fits the diaphragm carrier of the condenser. One of the two prisms that make up the Nicol prism is missing. The polarizer is stored in the bottom half of an unmarked objective canister.
Oculars included with the microscope are 5 and a specialized long one marked 3 X15. The first is by Zeiss; the latter is unsigned. Zeiss objectives included are aa and E in their canisters.
The box is a flat case with compartments for accessories. It is padded with dark burgundy velvet. There is a brass plaque on the lid engraved "HAROLD C. ERNST M.D. / Department of Bacteriology / Harvard Medical School."
This microscope is accompanied by a small camera lucida (1126b) and a haemocytometer (blood corpuscle counting apparatus) in its own leather-bound case (inv. 1126d). Both of these are stored in the main instrument case. Stored separately is an Abbe-type stereoscopic ocular in a wooden box (1126c).
Signedon tube, in cursive lettering: Carl Zeiss / Jena.
on ocular 5 in cursive lettering: Carl Zeiss, Jena.
on canisters for objectives: C. ZEISS / JENA
on objectives: C. ZEISS
on ocular 5 in cursive lettering: Carl Zeiss, Jena.
on canisters for objectives: C. ZEISS / JENA
on objectives: C. ZEISS
Inscribedmicroscope serial number on tube, in script: No. 6643
serial number stamped on edge of box: 6643
lightly scratched onto edge of stage: Harvard Medical School
on stereoscopic ocular: No. 66
on plaque on box lid: HAROLD C. ERNST M.D. / Department of Bacteriology / Harvard Medical School
serial number stamped on edge of box: 6643
lightly scratched onto edge of stage: Harvard Medical School
on stereoscopic ocular: No. 66
on plaque on box lid: HAROLD C. ERNST M.D. / Department of Bacteriology / Harvard Medical School
Historical AttributesOwned by Harold C. Ernst, M.D., first bacteriologist in the United States. A letter (in the file) from Carl Zeiss himself to Harold Ernst in 1885 promises that this order from the factory would be expedited. Dr. Ernst worked at the time with Robert Koch, and this was probably the reason for this extra attention.
Curatorial RemarksAccording to Eben Gay, Dr. Ernst transferred the larger coarse focus knobs from his damaged Stand I serial no. 9051 to this stand at some unknown date. Knobs were returned to their respective stands in April, 1979.
Primary SourcesErnst Abbe, Gesammelte Abhandlungen (Jena: Verlag Von Gustav Fischer, 1904), 245.
Carl Zeiss, No. 29 Carl Zeiss Optische Werkstätte Jena: Microscopes and Microscopical Accessories (Jena, Germany: Carl Zeiss, 1891).
Carl Zeiss, No. 29 Carl Zeiss Optische Werkstätte Jena: Microscopes and Microscopical Accessories (Jena, Germany: Carl Zeiss, 1891).
ProvenanceHarold C. Ernst; Department of Bacteriology; Harvard Medical School; Ernst-Lewis Collection of Microscopes (inv. no. 126), Harvard Medical School.