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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.

Back

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.

References: SML: A242712; Goren 2014.

References: SML: A242712; Goren 2014.

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Yuval Goren's Collection of the History of the Microscope

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    Compound Microscopes, ca. 1700-1840 (by chronological order)

    Early Compound Microscope, ca. 1680
    Early Compound Microscope, ca. 1680

    Inv. YG-22-017

    Early Italian Compound, ca. 1700
    Early Italian Compound, ca. 1700

    Inv. YG-18-011

    French Box Microscope, ca. 1720
    French Box Microscope, ca. 1720

    Inv. YG-19-010

    Early Tripod by Culpeper, 1725-30
    Early Tripod by Culpeper, 1725-30

    Inv. YG-22-016

    Early Tripod (Attributed to Loft), 1730-40
    Early Tripod (Attributed to Loft), 1730-40

    Inv. YG-18-009

    Cuff's Original Microscope, 1745
    Cuff's Original Microscope, 1745

    Inv. YG-21-033

    German Cuff Type, ca. 1760
    German Cuff Type, ca. 1760

    Inv. YG-22-008

    Dutch Cuff Type, ca. 1760-70
    Dutch Cuff Type, ca. 1760-70

    Inv. YG-22-010

    Martin's Universal, 1760
    Martin's Universal, 1760

    Inv. YG-19-005

    Martin's Pocket, ca. 1770
    Martin's Pocket, ca. 1770

    Inv. YG-13-006

    Martin-Jones Compendium, 1780
    Martin-Jones Compendium, 1780

    Inv. YG-21-024

    Martin-Gilbert Universal, 1780
    Martin-Gilbert Universal, 1780

    Inv. YG-22-004

    Cuff-Type Chest, ca. 1780
    Cuff-Type Chest, ca. 1780

    Inv. YG-14-002

    Nuremberg Tripod, 1800
    Nuremberg Tripod, 1800

    Inv. YG-21-018

    Nuremberg "Sentry Box", 1800
    Nuremberg "Sentry Box", 1800

    Inv. YG-20-036

    Dellebarre Universal, 1780
    Dellebarre Universal, 1780

    Inv. YG-20-029

    Dutch Universal, ca. 1800-1820
    Dutch Universal, ca. 1800-1820

    Inv. YG-22-014

    Later Tripod (Culpeper), ~1800
    Later Tripod (Culpeper), ~1800

    Inv. YG-17-002

    Chevalier Selligue prototype ~1820
    Chevalier Selligue prototype ~1820

    Inv. YG-18-005

    Chevalier selon Euler, 1832
    Chevalier selon Euler, 1832

    Inv. YG-19-006

    Chevalier Horizontal, 1835
    Chevalier Horizontal, 1835

    Inv. YG-21-032

    Pritchard Engiscope, 1836-8
    Pritchard Engiscope, 1836-8

    Inv. YG-19-019

    Cary-Gould Toy, 1835
    Cary-Gould Toy, 1835

    Inv. YG-18-016

     
     
     
     
     
     

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