THREAD COUNTING OR LINEN TESTER MICROSCOPE
MAKER: EDM GAILLARD
c. 1896
GERMAN
SIGNED: 'Fadenzähler Mikroskop B2, Edm. Gaillard Berlin'
SIGNED ON THE CASE:
'Fadenzähler Mikroskop
(Vagus B2)
von
Edm. Gaillard
BERLIN
D.R.G.M. No 41223, 43099, 45539, 48071'
MODEL: 'VAGUS B2'
Please Click On Any Picture for a Larger Version
DESCRIPTION:
This is a compound microscope with drawtube and a removeable eyepiece but a fixed objective. In English, the word 'Fadenzähler' means 'thread counter'. This example has two 'stages' which also serve as the foot of the instrument, and can be interchanged by simply removing and replacing two screws. One stage/foot is a typical 'horseshoe' type, the other a customized form for thread counting. The drawtube is used to vary the relatively low power magnification. The top of the eyepiece, is made of hard rubber or perhaps celluloid* and is chipped on one side. The rest of the microscope is made of brass. Focusing is by pushing or pulling the optical tube.
The foot for use in thread counting has a brass slider which fits into a dovetail. This has a transparent insert(shown to the left) with various standard square outlines, with numbers corresponding to each, 1,2,3,5, and 1/8. The insert fits into a very narrow slot, which is recessed in the brass slider, and is held in place by two tiny stops at the far end, and the square part at the other. The 1,2,3,and 5 are apparently mm measurements, but the fractional size is of unknown units(at least to me). The scale is on a modern replacement material, the scales copied from an original example. The slider has a small knob to move it right or left.
The instrument has a minimum height of about 6 inches(15 cm) and it is about 6 1/4 inches(16 cm) high with the optical tube focused on the scales when the drawtube is fully inside the outer tube. It is about 8.5 inches(21.5 cm) high in focus with the drawtube fully extended. The stages are about 2 1/4 inches wide(57 mm)(excluding the slider) and 3 1/4 inches(82 mm) long and 1/4 inches (10 mm) thick. The brass slider is about 13/16 inches (20 mm) wide and about 3 7/32 inches (81.5 mm) long. Condition is very good, noting the chipped top of the eyepiece, and minimal spotting of the lacquer. Optics are good and the field is surprisingly flat.
The instrument fits into a plush lined case covered with red-dyed fishskin outside and gold lettering. The case closes with a hook controlled by a T-rod in front(right). The slide fits into a cuff on the bottom of the case. The extra stage-foot stores in a slot to the left, as can be seen in the images.