The Collection | microscope-history

Withering-type botanical microscope, 1780

The “Withering-type Microscope” is named for its inventor, Dr. William Withering (1741-1799), an English physician and botanist who graduated with a degree in medicine 1766 in Edinburgh. Inspired by the taxonomical work and systematic classification of Carl Linnæus (1707-1778), Withering (1776) applied the Linnaean taxonomical system of classification to British plants in a seminal, two volume work, A Botanical arrangement of all the vegetables naturally growing in the British Isles. The earliest reference to a small botanical microscope of Withering’s design appeared in the first edition of this book. There, Withering indicated this microscope was developed for field dissections of flowers and other plant parts. While there is no surviving example of this exact design, close relatives of this type do exist, made either completely of brass or of ivory with brass pillars. Ivory models can be tentatively dated to 1776-1785, as by 1787 a newer model with a hollowed stage in an all-brass configuration already predominated. In turn, it was preceded by the brief appearance of a transitional brass model but with solid stage of ivory or horn (seen here). This version is extremely rare and must have been produced in very small numbers. By 1787 all these varieties were not recorded anymore in the literature.

Withering-type botanical microscope, 1780

Single lens microscopes from the Age of the Enlightenment through to the early 19th century, from the first observations by van Leeuwenhoek to the journey of Charles Darwin on the Beagle

Compound microscopes from the Enlightenment to the Age of Exploration, from Robert Hook and his Micrographia to the discoveries in microbiology by Pasteur and Koch.

Microscopes designed to observe and measure the optical properties of minerals and other crystalline materials, acting as sophisticated spectrometers of visible light.

Landmark, rare or highly innovative microscopes from the era of standardization and mass production.

Historical microscopes from Israeli universities, Israeli-made microscopes and my own microscope design.

Withering-type botanical microscope, 1780

Withering-type botanical microscope, 1780

Goren Collection of the History of the Microscope

Single Microscopes 1650-1850

Compound Microscopes, 1700-1900

Petrographic Microscopes 1860-1950

Outstanding 20th C. Microscopes

Microscopy and Israel