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
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.
Prof. Yuval Goren's Collection of the History of the Microscope
European Variations of the Cuff Microscope
The original Cuff microscope emerged around 1745 and gained significant popularity, largely thanks to the efforts, writings and patronage of Henry Baker. Since the microscope was never patented—a complicated process in the 18th century—numerous copies quickly appeared, made by other English manufacturers as well as by some continental European makers in countries where microscopes were popular, including France, the Netherlands and German Lands. These imitations retained the core concept of Cuff's design while incorporating local ideas that had already influenced microscope construction in these regions. Notably, some of these designs often reflected the influence of the box microscope, which had been popular primarily in France since the early 18th century. These makers built upon the original model, enhancing it by replacing Cuff's subtle focusing system with a more user-friendly rack-and-pinion focusing mechanism and eliminating the original Hevelius screw, which was unnecessary due to the limited magnification and resolution capabilities of 18th-century microscopes. While French maker, Claude-Siméon Passemant, generally adhered to Cuff's original design, making only minor modifications, examples from the German Lands (such as Georg Friedrich Brander of Augsburg) and Dutch makers (such as Jacobus Lommers or Jacob Huysen/Huijsen of Utrecht) were more innovative, adopting the main idea of Cuff's design while incorporating indigenous ideas that had already taken root in these countries. Dutch makers primarily took the idea that the brass parts of the microscope could be dismantled and stored in a wooden case, which served as the base for the instrument when in use. Only a limited number of examples of their signed microscopes are known, primarily held in the Museum Boerhaave in Leiden, the Golub collection and a few other public and private collections. These examples exhibit a high level of inter as well as intra variability while still adhering to the basic concept, indicating that each instrument was likely produced as a unique piece for a specific client, making it challenging to find exact signed similarities.
German Cuff-Type Microscope attributed to Georg Friedrich Brander, ca. 1760
A Cuff-type microscope of German make, the second half of the 18th century. This microscope is of a design known so far only in two more examples: in a private collection in France and with a replaced 19th-century English base, in the Musée universitaire de Louvain-la-Neuve in Belgium. It is unsigned, but the overall style and several details within it strongly suggest a German origin by the scientific instrument maker Georg Friedrich Brander (1713 - 1783) from Augsburg.
When fully set, the microscope stands 37cm high, mounted on the top of the 15x21x8cm fitted mahogany case. The body tube screws into an arm at the top of the pillar; coarse and fine focussing is by a Cuff-type mechanism (sliding block with a clamp screw and long threaded screw connecting the block and the arm holding the body tube). The single-sided mirror (the glass is now reconstructed, the frame is original), is mounted in a plate at the base of the pillar. A Bonanni-type spring stage can be screwed into the stage. The inside of the drawer is covered with 18th-century printed paper that recalls German manufacture.
The other example of this microscope from a private collection in France, is similar in every detail as the one in our collection, but it also has the eyepiece cover that is missing in our example. In terms of style, details (such as the printed paper lining the inside of the drawer), the design of the optical tube and the shape of the box that serves as the basis for the microscope, it is clear that this microscope was inspired by the London-based maker John Cuff from around 1745. This design was quickly copied by many manufacturers in England and soon moved to other European countries as well. Copies inspired by the Cuff microscope were created by Claude Simeon Passemant (1702–1769) in Paris, Dutch manufacturers such as Jacob Huisen (1739–1792) and Jacobus Lommers (1696–c1775), both of Utrecht in the Netherlands; and Georg Friedrich Brander (1713–1783) from Augsburg. One model of a box-top microscope created by Brander (now in the Science Museum in London) is remarkably similar to the microscope seen here and this affinity may indicate a similar source, but in the absence of signed examples, this hypothesis cannot be substantiated.
Box microscope by G. F. Brander,
source: https://www.mccrone.com/mm/the-microscopes-of-victor-frankenstein/
© Microscope History all rights reserved
© Microscope History all rights reserved
Cuff-Styled Microscope by a Dutch maker, ca. 1760
This Cuff-styled case-mounted microscope is known in only a small number of examples. It appears as No. 53 in the Golub Collection, No. V07289 and V07298 in the Museum Boerhaave. The overall design indicates a Dutch design by a leading master such as Jacobus Lommers or Jacob Huysen (or Huijsen) of Utrecht. However, there is great variability within the design of the signed instruments of each of these two makers, and the attribution of unsigned items to one of them is difficult.
© Microscope History all rights reserved
© Microscope History all rights reserved
Dutch microscopes that were inspired by Cuff's design had a unique attribute of having a box that was used to store not only the accessories such as objectives and stage aids but also the entire instrument. At the Museum Boerhaave, there are three Lommers (7289, 7204, 10133) and one Huysen compound microscope, all of which are mounted on a storage box.
References: Baker, H. 1785. Employment for the Microscope. London: 422; Wissner; Skinner 2011; SML: A62993, 1925-144, A601261, A159502; Molecular Expressions.