Signedunsigned
Inscribedon label stuck to underside of objective box: [1]106 / Dr. Benj. Shurtleff / SHAW's / Nachet
Historical AttributesThis elegant and well-equipped drum microscope belonged to Dr. Benjamin Shurtleff Shaw, the first Resident Physician of Massachusetts General Hospital.
According to a note in the file, Dr. Shaw purchased it in Paris "circa 1870," but it seems likely that it was purchased earlier when he was in Paris studying anatomy at the same time as Dr. R. M. Hodges in the 1850s.
The Ernst-Lewis Collection had two more Nachet drum microscopes that were identical to this instrument. One belonged to Jeffries Wyman, Hersey Professor of Anatomy at Harvard College and curator of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. The other belonged to Dr. R. M. Hodges, a classmate of Dr. Shaw, a surgeon, and the Demonstrator of Anatomy at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Lewis discarded these after transferring a few accessories to the instrument owned by Dr. Shaw. The items transferred include two objectives and two diaphragms, a parts box, and possibly some eyepieces.
Dr. Lewis noted that Dr. Shaw's microscope was "presented by Henry S. Shaw 1928." Dr. Ernst noted that Alpheus Hyatt, the renowned zoologist, presented Dr. Wyman's instrument in June 1900.
Provenancemicroscope and box: Dr. Benjamin Shurtleff Shaw, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, purchased in Paris before 1893; Henry S. Shaw, before 1928; gift to Ernst-Lewis Collection of Microscopes (inv. no. 106), Harvard Medical School, 1928.
parts box and components: Professor Jeffries Wyman, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University; Alpheus Hyatt; gift to Ernst-Lewis Collection of Microscopes (inv. no. 76), Harvard Medical School, June 1900
components: Dr. Richard M. Hodges, Harvard Medical School; Ernst-Lewis Collection of Microscopes (inv. no. 107), Harvard Medical School.