Microscope
date: label: date made
content: after 1750
notes: label: Description
content: This “Culpeper” type microscope is made from wood, cardboard and sharkskin (or shagreen). The base is circular and has three wooden vertical supports which connect the base to the round stage. The cardboard tube is covered with shagreen that is dyed green. The mirror is mounted on a wooden hinge attached to the center of the base. A circular mark with initials is burned into the underside of the base, but the letters are illegible. Focusing is achieved by moving the tube up and down. The base is circular and made from turned wood, and has three round wooden feet.
label: Description
content: One of the main cottage industries of the city of Nuremberg was the manufacturer of toys. In the 18th and 19th centuries thousands of microscopes like the one in the Squibb Collection were produced. Besides the Culpeper type microscope, several other models were produced including a box shaped, compound monocular microscope attached to a base with a drawer, and a “drum” type microscope. Nuremberg microscopes are rare and sought after by microscope collectors.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Germany: Bavaria, Nuremberg
topic: label: Subject
content: Pharmacy
label: Subject
content: Microscopy
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Medicine
label: See more items in
content: Health & Medicine
label: See more items in
content: European Apothecary
label: See more items in
content: Art
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: The Billings Microscope Collection
label: Related Publication
content: The Origins and Development of the Microscope
label: Related Publication
content: Reginald S. Clay, B.A., D.Sc., F.Inst.P. and Thomas H. Court. The History of the Microscope
label: Related Publication
content: Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society
label: Related Publication
content: Urdang, George and Ferdinand William Nitardy. The Squibb Ancient Pharmacy: A Catalogue of the Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of American Pharmaceutical Association and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1991.0664.0904
label: accession number
content: 1991.0664
label: catalog number
content: M-06300
label: collector/donor number
content: SAP 992
label: catalog number
content: 1991.0664.0904
objectType: label: Object Name
content: microscope
label: Object Name
content: microscope
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: paper (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: shagreen (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 32.7 cm x 12.6 cm; 12 7/8 in x 4 31/32 in
label: Measurements
content: overall: 12 3/4 in x 5 in; 32.385 cm x 12.7 cm