MODEL: (FOLDING) 'COMMON FLOWER OR INSECT MICROSCOPE'
DATE: c. 1790-1890
MAKERS: UNKNOWN
UNSIGNED
SERIAL NUMBER: None
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: ENGLAND
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DESCRIPTIONS:
This is the largest version of the folding 'Jones' 'Common Flower or Insect'
microscope. Like most, the lens and handle fold around the slot which
projects out from the middle brass support. The piece projecting out
from the main central brass part of the instrument has a slot and a
springy piece of brass underneath. The specimen holder has a forceps on
one side and a spike on the other. The support for this specimen holder
slides on the sprung slot to allow focusing. The spring provides some
tension to hold the forceps fitting in place. Tightening the knurled
knob, which holds the specimen holder, tightens the grasp around it and
also tightens it in the slot to fix its location once focused. This
system was the standard for a hundred years. The instrument fits inside
a red Morrocan leather-covered wood case with brown velour-lined bottom
and a pink silky lining on the inside of the top. The length when fully
unfolded from the tip of the handle to the top of the lens casing is
about 102 mm. The distance from the outside edge of the main brass
center to the end of the slotted piece is about 85 mm. The external
dimensions of the box are 95 x 30 x 30 mm. The needle/forceps measures
about 70 mm end to end. Note that, like the other two examples shown
here, it has two lenses that can be removed so they can each be used
singly or in combination, yielding three different powers.
This
is the usual or 'medium' size of what has been called a 'Jones' 'Flower or Insect' folding microscope. This model is smaller than the previous
entry, but otherwise similar. The smaller handle, instead being in a
simple tapering shape has a few ornamental features as shown. The
length when fully unfolded from the tip of the handle to the top of the
lens casing is about 80 mm. The distance from the outside edge of the
main brass center to the end of the slotted piece is about 56 mm. The
needle/forceps measures about 50 mm end to end.
This folding naturalist microscope is different than the preceding
examples in that it is both smaller, and simpler. There is no support
for a forceps, though the shape of the main brass centerpiece is
similar in shape to the other two examples listed above. In this
example, the length when fully unfolded from the tip of the handle to
the top of the lens casing is about 62 mm. When folded, it is only 40
mm. To my knowledge, this is the smallest of these folding botanicals.
I am aware of at least one other surviving example of this size without
the slotted support, but it is still possible that the slotted support
was originally present and then cut off by an owner or maker.
HISTORY OF FOLDING 'COMMON FLOWER OR INSECT' MICROSCOPES
This microscope has been referred to as a 'Botanical', 'Flower'
(Adams and also much later, Queen), 'insect' microscope (Adams),
or 'Entomological'(Giordano) microscope, depending on the author. The
1798 (2nd ed) of George Adams' 'Essays on the Microscope' illustrates
this form for the first time and refers to it as the 'Common Flower or
Insect Microscope.'1
By the time the second edition of Adams work was published, W.
& S. Jones had taken over the business. Small folding or
non-folding naturalist's microscopes were very popular in the 18th and
19th centuries. They ranged from simple hand-held magnifiers to
portable free-standing microscopes like those invented by Withering.
The Jones' sold instruments like these for many years. In fact,
most nineteenth century instrument makers sold this type of microscope
and it was still offered for sale as late as 1890 or even later. The
picture shown to the right is from the 1890 version of the James. W.
Queen catalog. Queen, of Philadelphia, was a prominent instrument
seller even into the early 20th century. These instruments are often
dated to the early 19th or late 18th century, but the truth is that
they cannot be dated accurately except perhaps by the style of their
case, or very rarely, a signature. Dating without an original case
should generally simply be to the '19th century.' Likewise the inventor
is open to question, as although first illustrated by Adams in 1787,
neither Adams nor Jones seemed to take credit as inventors of the
device. Since Adams used the term 'Common' to describe, one would
assume it existed before his Second edition of the Essays was published.
The
author would like to thank Joe Zeligs for help with this page,
including the citation of a footnote from the 'Editor' from Adams Essays on the Microscope.
1Essays on the Microscope by George Adams, 2nd edition,
1798, published by W. & S. Jones: Fig. 14 and the footnote by the 'Editor'
on page 125.
