Brass and iron, clearly varnished, partially blackened, metal, glass, mirror glass, wood
Germany, Jena c.  1912
Carl Zeiss AG – Company for precision mechanics and optical instruments
Marked ‘Carl Zeiss Jena’ various times as well as numbered ‘Nr. 57674’, ‘Nr. 7251’ and inscribed ‘Aplanat.1,4’
Classic structure of a microscope with horseshoe-shaped foot and tripod, affixed to it ocular and extendable lens barrel
Various fine-adjustment settings
Turret head with object lenses, below object plates with object holders
With Aplanat lens
Height: 30.5 cm
Dimensions of wooden case: 37.6 x 21 x 21 cm
Provenance: private property Wuppertal

The microscope, which was to an extent incidentally invented by spectacle makers, has revolutionized medicine. Already in ancient times, glass was ground to lenses, which served as burning lenses for magnification. In 1285 the Italian Salvino d'Armate developed eyewear. With magnifying glasses, one was able to observe small objects with a magnification of up to ten times. In 1600 the crucial step to developing the microscope was achieved, whereby it is not clear who actually invented it. What is clear, however, is that historical microscopes exert a high appeal. Various public collections such as the Optical Museum in Jena, the German Museum in Munich or the Physical Mathematical Salon in Dresden demonstrate this, which all own large numbers of botanical magnifiers, pocket microscopes, first achromatic optics, early forms of the turret lens, instruments with stepless magnifications and solar microscopes.

Condition:

The microscope is in very good condition. The wooden case partially with slight surface abrasion and tiny bumps. A case key is not included.

Carl Zeiss AG

In 1846, the mechanic Carl Zeiss (1816-1888) opened a workshop for precision mechanics and optical instruments in Jena. August Löber was hired as first apprentice in 1847 and later became foreman at Zeiss. At the end of the year the first simple microscopes were already made in the workshop. In 1852, Zeiss employed ten members of staff. When Zeiss, in collaboration with Ernst Abbe, succeeded in producing microscopes with precalculated properties, the success story of the company began, and as early as 1875, 60 employees were working here. In 1875, Abbe became a shareholder, and a little later Roderich Zeiss, the eldest son, joined the company. During the two world wars, the company was one of the most important German producers of armament and warrior-relevant optics. After WWII, the Soviet occupiers took control of the company: in 19476/47 the factory was almost completely dismantled and nationalized on July the 1st, 1948. In 1965, the VEB Carl Zeiss Jena was further developed as parent company of the Combine of the same name, to whom other VEBs (Publicly Owned Operations) in the optical, mechanical and electronics industries were gradually allocated. From 1990-91, the company was split into Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH and Jenoptik GmbH, whereby the former comprised the optical core business. In the following years several restructurings took place. The years since the turn of the millennium were - apart from the 2008/09 crisis year - the most successful in the company's history. (nlu)

Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.