Microscope

Microscope

<< >>
Usage conditions apply
Downloads
Description
Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894), noted physician and author, designed this microscope stand for use in the classes he taught at the Harvard Medical School. It was light-weight, rugged, and relatively-inexpensive, and could be passed from one student to another. It was introduced in 1875, proved fairly popular, and remained on the market for about fifteen years.
A comparison of contemporary advertisements and extant examples shows several minor variations. In our example, the wooden base is shaped like an elongated figure-eight, and the microscope stands on an oval riser. The lamp is missing. A brass tag on the base is inscribed “James W. Queen & Co. / Philadelphia New York” and “Holmes.”
Ref: James W. Queen & Co., Priced and Illustrated Catalogue of Optical Instruments (Philadelphia, 1883), p. 112.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
microscope
date made
1875-1890
maker
Queen and Company
Physical Description
brass (microscope material)
wood (microscope material)
iron (microscope material)
brown (overall color)
green (overall color)
black (overall color)
wood (case material)
Measurements
microscope: 26.6 cm x 10.5 cm x 30 cm; 10 1/2 in x 4 1/8 in x 11 13/16 in
case: 29.2 cm x 18.3 cm x 33.1 cm; 11 1/2 in x 7 3/16 in x 13 1/16 in
ID Number
MG.327631
accession number
268279
catalog number
327631
Credit Line
Rutgers University, Department of Physics
subject
Science & Scientific Instruments
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Medicine
Microscopes
Science & Mathematics
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Nominate this object for photography.   

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.

Note: Comment submission is temporarily unavailable while we make improvements to the site. We apologize for the interruption. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. If you require a personal response, please use our Contact page.