WITHERING-TYPE BOTANICAL MICROSCOPE:

The microscope, dating to about 1815, is close to, but not exactly the pattern described by John Quekett as being offered in 1787 by George Adams as described in the illustration here. The main difference from that is the fact that the top has a brass bar between the two supporting rods instead of a ring as in Quekett's illustration. It also carries stacking lenses instead of a single lens. You will note that Quekett's illustration shows the mirror flat at the bottom, the illumination assumed to be adjusted by tilting the entire instrument, or tilting the light source. Curiously, that somewhat less than satisfactory method of illumination, with the mirror fixed in position, was revived in some early twentieth century instruments, notably the early version of the Tami microscope by Hensholdt, also seen on this site. This instrument has a cylindrical fish-skin covered case with black exterior. Again, unlike the original, but like the others on this site, it has two pillars instead of three. This instrument is identical to Bracegirdle's number 7/3 of the Science Museum (London).