Antique English Compound Microscope. England, Circa 1890

Amazing antique English compound microscope made circa 1890, in good condition and great working order. This superb old-time instrument is entirely made of brass some component parts show signs of the trace of time and the use (especially the sample plate), logical in an item which is almost 130 years old. Nevertheless, these details do not affect whatsoever the microscopes performance and it still can be used to watch samples and specimens. The device comes with an antique set of eyepiece and objective and mounts an original shutter under the sample plate. This antique English compound microscope is a good example of the high quality and ingenious manufacture of late-19th-century scientific instruments. Today it is a very decorative piece in full working order. Dimensions: Width: 4.72 in / 12 cm. Height: 11 in / 28 cm.Compound Microscopes Characteristics and History Compound microscopes differ from simple microscopes in that they mount more than one lens. By combining the lenses, these instruments enable more lens magnifications. The lens combination can magnify the size of the objects 2000 times, compared to the maximum of 250 times provided by a simple lens. Curiously enough, compound microscopes were invented before simple microscopes. This was because in those times it was not possible to create high-magnification lenses, so it was necessary to combine two or more lenses in order to get the needed magnification. The first compound microscope was developed around 1600 by two Dutch lens manufacturers, Zacharias and Hans Janssen.