Antique Negretti & Zambra Monocular Microscope. London, England, Circa 1870

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Antique Negretti & Zambra Monocular Microscope. London, England, Circa 1870

Antique Negretti & Zambra monocular microscope made in London, England circa 1870 and in good condition. This device, designed for professional use, comes in a mahogany wooden case and is accompanied by 2 eyepieces and 2 objetives, the latter in their respective brass sleeves. The set includes an empty sleeve too, with no signature. The microscope is entirely made of brass. Mechanically it works really fine, making it possible to watch samples. At the back of the foot we can see a complete hand-engraved inscription with the manufacturer’s name, NEGRETTI & ZAMBRA, provider of the Royal House. The lids of the lenses’ sleeves are also signed by the maker with an elegant cursive lettering. The microscope mounts a two-lens revolving nosepiece and a finely preserved rack-and-pinion system at the turret, easy to move. As well as the eyepieces and the lenses, the set includes some accessories; among them we find a pair of plate tweezers. In order to use them, the stem has to be inserted in the hole which appears when sliding the simple plate. The mahogany storing case is the original one and remains in very good condition, being perfect to protect and transport the microscope and the accessory set.

This antique monocular Negretti & Zambra microscope is an outstanding piece, worthy of the best collection.

Dimensions: Width: 4.52 in / 11 cm. Height: 14.96 in / 38 cm. Depth: 5.90 in / 15 cm.

Negretti & Zambra – History

Negretti & Zambra was founded in 1850 by Henry Negretti (1818-1879) and Joseph Zambra (1822-1897), both born in Italy, to manufacture scientific (philosophical) and optical instrument. The business was located in London and it included a photo studio. The company created by Negretti and Zambra would eventually be appointed official opticians and scientific instrument makers to Her Majesty Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and later to King Edward VII. They also made instruments for the Royal Observatory and the British Admiralty. The company also commissioned different photographers to document relevant events such as the Opium War which confronted China and Great Britain from 1839 and 1942.