Antique Philip Harris Vernier Microscope. England, Circa 1920

Antique Philip Harris Vernier microscope in good condition, complete and in its original wooden case. The microscope was made in England circa 1920 and is a really attractive and special piece. Vernier microscopes are designed to obtain accurate measurements, especially when working with metals. They were used by precision lathe operators (to make perfect screws or bolts), goldsmiths and silversmiths (to calculate the gems refraction index), textile workers and industrial labs too. They owe their name to the French mathematician Pierre Vernier, who in 1631 developed the Vernier scale in order to get precision measurements. The microscope that we can see in the images is composed of a black-lacquered metal body with a series of brass component parts mounted on its surface. Among these pieces we can see a ruler with an engraved scale; the microscopes turret and the magnifier (used to read the scale) slide along the ruler. This piece bears an engraved inscription: PHILIP HARRIS & CO. BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND. As stated before, the microscope comes in its original wooden storing case. This item shows clear signs of the trace of time and the use, but it is still the perfect accessory to carry and protect the device. This antique Philip Harris Vernier microscope will shine in any collection of technical and scientific antiques. Measurements: Width: 6.7 in / 17 cm. Depth: 4.45 in / 11.3 cm. Height: 9.25 in / 23.5 cm. Philip Harris Ltd. - History Philip Harris Ltd. Is a British manufacturer and supplier of laboratory equipment, founded in Birmingham in 1817 by Thomas Ellis. Ellis was a surgeon; after eight years, in 1825 the chemist Philip Harris entered the firm, which would eventually be renamed after him. In the beginning, the business operated under the Chemical Laboratory Company name. In the early times they made and commercialized chemical and surgical supplies, but in 1866 they started producing medicines too. In the 1960s and 70s the company opened new biological and manufacturing units, establishing their central offices in Shenstone. In the mid-1960s they started developing and supplying equipment and material for the new Nuffield science courses in England and Wales. The company kept on with its innovative policy in the 1980s and 90s, developing some of the firs scientific data-loggers used outside academic research laboratories. Today Philip Harris Ltd. Maintains his founders values and still develops high-quality scientific material, especially for academic and educational uses.