TRIPOD MICROSCOPES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.

Since the time of some of the earliest microscopes tripods have often been used to support them. The first known illustration of a 'microscope', by Isaac Beekman in 1631(left), was of a compound microscope mounted on a tripod. Tripod microscopes of various types continued to be made intermittently from that time, clear through the twentieth century. Some of these were intended to be used as any other microscope, but as time went on, those with long symetrical legs were intended for special purposes, including inspection of the surface of metals and other surfaces, measurements, etc.

Even the classic U-shaped or horseshoe foot usually had short feet in three locations, technically making even them tripods. What I choose to call Tripod Microscopes here are microscopes with symmetrical three-pod support resembling a classical tripod. Although little tripods were used for preliminary examination of objects from the 19th through the 20th century and beyond, or for enlarging images of things like stamps and coins, starting around 1900, slightly larger of ofen more sophisticated tripod microscopes, usually with longer pods, were typically used, with a few exceptions, to study surfaces, especially of metals. These microscopes were often referred to as workshop or portable metallurgical microscopes, sometimes with integrated vertical illuminators like the Stead Workshop Microscope of about 1915. Some tripod microscopes were used for measuring, having built-in eyepiece micrometers. This is not to say that all workshop microscopes were supported by a tripod, as some had a small flat foot; these were much less stable and would not be easy to use on uneven surfaces where tripods excel. Occasionally a similar long legged tripod microscope with a stage was produced, like the German Junior model, had a stage to be used like any other microscope.

Shown above are some examples of tripod microscopes of the 20th century. Most were intended for surface inspection with or without the facility to make measurements. Except for the one with the shortest legs, the legs were unscrewed when packing up the microscope, or they were folding legs.

TRIPOD MICROSCOPES
DATE	COUNTRY ORIGIN	MAKER	TYPE	MODEL	IMAGES
c.1915	ENGLISH	SWIFT & SONS	SURFACE INSPECTION MICROSCOPE	STEAD WORKSHOP MICROSCOPE
1925	GERMAN	SPINDLER & HOYER	POCKET TRIPOD MONOCULAR MICROSCOPE WITH STAGE	POCKET MICROSCOPE
1925	GERMAN	VOIGTLANDER	TRIPOD MONOCULAR SURFACE INSPECTION MICROSCOPE	WORKSHOP MICROSCOPE
c. 1931	AMERICAN	BAUSCH & LOMB	PORTABLE COMPOUND MONOCULAR TRIPOD SURFACE INSPECTION MICROSCOPE	WIDEFIELD TUBE MICROSCOPE
c. 1956	AMERICAN	BAUSCH & LOMB	PORTABLE COMPOUND MONOCULAR TRIPOD SURFACE INSPECTION MICROSCOPE WITH MEASURING RETICLE	40X WIDEFIELD TUBE MICROSCOPE WITH GRADUATED SCALE
c 3rd Qtr 20th C	AMERICAN	BAUSCH & LOMB	TRIPOD SURFACE INSPECTION AND MEASURING MICROSCOPE	ZOOM MICROSCOPE
c. 1960s	MADE IN JAPAN FOR THE AMERICAN MARKET	LAFAYETTE ELECTRONICS	MONOCULAR TRIPOD SURFACE INSPECTION MICROSCOPE	?