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HOUSEHOLD MICROSCOPE
c. 1900
SIGNED: 'Williams, Brown, & Earle, Philadelphia, Made in France'
SERIAL NUMBER: none
MODEL: HOUSEHOLD(?)
DESCRIPTION:
As shown to the left, this microscope is signed 'Williams Brown & Earle, Philadelphia, Made in France.' Like most household-type microscopes it is relatively small and of relatively simplified construction. It arises from a horseshoe foot of black-painted iron with 2 pillars supporting a Jackson-Lister limb. The gimbaled mirror is attached to the tailpiece. There are three French 'button' lenses forming the divisible objective. Focus is by rack and pinion. An articulated bullseye condenser attaches to the front of the sleeve holding the optical tube, similar to many French microscopes. There are two stage clips.
HISTORY
H.S. Williams and N.H. Brown worked for Queen & Co., and after leaving them in the 1880s formed Williams, Brown & Earle in 1885. The firm continued to sell scientifc instruments well into the 20th century, at least until 1940. Their catalog of 1889 stated that at that time, they were Sole American Agents for R & J Beck
. They also marketed microscopes made in France and also Germany. One of those produced in France is the example shown on this web page. It is of more modern construction than the Queen Household or the (even older) McAllister Household models, in that the eyepiece is removable and chrome plated, though there is no drawtube. A continental microscope with an uncommon tube fine focusing mechanism, and made in Germany is also on this site. Microscopes with their secondary labels by Spencer and Leitz from the 1930s are known. Microscopes signed by WBE come to market from time to time, especially with the WBE secondary label.
