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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. 1840-1930 (by chronological order)

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    Simon Plössl No. 2, 1845
    Simon Plössl No. 2, 1845

    Inv. YG-22-002

    Ross' Bar-Limb No. 1, 1849
    Ross' Bar-Limb No. 1, 1849

    Inv. YG-18-001

    Gustave Moreau, ~1850
    Gustave Moreau, ~1850

    Inv. YG-18-013

    "Furnace" toy, 1850-1900
    "Furnace" toy, 1850-1900

    Various inventories

    Oberhäuser's drum, 1853
    Oberhäuser's drum, 1853

    Inv. YG-20-022

    Simon Plössl No. 1, 1854
    Simon Plössl No. 1, 1854

    Inv. YG-20-013

    Schiek of Berlin, 1855
    Schiek of Berlin, 1855

    Inv. YG-18-007

    Society of Arts, ~1855
    Society of Arts, ~1855

    Inv. YG-12-001

    J.B. Dancer's best, ~1855
    J.B. Dancer's best, ~1855

    Inv. YG-17-001

    Elgar's microscope
    Elgar's microscope

    Inv. YG-16-004

    Smith & Beck No. 1, 1856
    Smith & Beck No. 1, 1856

    Inv. YG-20-006

    Hartnack Stand IIIA, 1868
    Hartnack Stand IIIA, 1868

    Inv. YG-15-007

    Baker-Moginie, 1870
    Baker-Moginie, 1870

    Inv. YG-20-019

    French Drum, 1870-1900
    French Drum, 1870-1900

    Inv. YG-11-002

    Nachet Petite, 1875
    Nachet Petite, 1875

    Inv. YG-19-023

    Powell & Lealand 1, 1875
    Powell & Lealand 1, 1875

    Inv. YG-17-007

    Early petrographic(?), 1875
    Early petrographic(?), 1875

    Inv. YG-17-011

    Seibert Stativ IV, 1884
    Seibert Stativ IV, 1884

    Inv. YG-12-003

    Nachet Grand, 1887
    Nachet Grand, 1887

    Inv. YG-19-011

    Voigt & Hochgesang ~1890
    Voigt & Hochgesang ~1890

    Inv. YG-19-014

    Swift of O.T. Jones, 1891
    Swift of O.T. Jones, 1891

    Inv. YG-19-019

    Swift & Son Field, 1900
    Swift & Son Field, 1900

    Inv. YG-11-001

    Swift Discovery, 1901-10
    Swift Discovery, 1901-10

    Inv. YG-12-002

    Carl Zeiss stand Ic, 1903
    Carl Zeiss stand Ic, 1903

    Inv. YG-19-022

    Zeiss Stativ IIIE, 1909
    Zeiss Stativ IIIE, 1909

    Inv. YG-16-003

    Spencer “Model 60”, 1921
    Spencer “Model 60”, 1921

    Inv. YG-20-016

    Hensoldt Protami, 1930
    Hensoldt Protami, 1930

    Inv. YG-19-003

     
     
     
     
     
     
     

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