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Microscope Museum Collection of antique microscopes and other
scientific instruments |
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Microscope
134 (Smith
& Beck; Educational microscope; c. 1856)
Smith,
Beck & Beck was originally established in London, by Richard Beck (1827 -
1866) in association with James Smith (1800 – 1873), and later to be joined
by his brother Joseph Beck. Richard and Joseph Beck were nephews of Joseph
Jackson Lister, who was a respected British optician and physicist who
experimented with achromatic lenses and perfected an optical microscope. In
commissioning the manufacture of his improved microscope, Lister worked with
James Smith, an employee of the instrument-making firm of William Tulley, to
create the stand. James Smith went on to establish his own optical
instruments workshop in 1837. Through this relationship, Lister arranged for
his nephew, Richard Beck to be an apprentice under Smith in 1843. In 1847,
James Smith entered into partnership with Richard Beck, and the company was
re-named Smith & Beck. In 1856, the company was renamed to Smith,
Beck and Beck, as Richard Beck's brother Joseph Beck joined the company
in 1851. James Smith retired in 1865 and the company became R & J Beck
and this name lasted for long time. Microscope
134 is engraved ‘Smith & Beck, London’, and was known as the
company’s ‘Educational Microscope’ (Figure 1). The instrument was often
referred to as the "milk box" or "shoe box" microscope
and was in common use as a field microscope and as a student microscope. The
microscope contains the serial number 1143 and can be dated to c. 1856.
Figure
1.
The Smith & Beck Universal microscope as engraved in Richard Beck’s book ‘A
treatise on the construction, proper use, and capabilities of Smith, Beck,
and Beck's achromatic microscopes’ from 1865. References Smith,
Beck and Beck (https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Smith,_Beck_and_Beck),
last accessed on 14.08.2020 James
Smith, 1800 – 1873 (http://microscopist.net/SmithJ.html),
last accessed on 14.08.2020 Microscope,
“milk box type “ , Smith & Beck London (https://collection.maas.museum/object/258945),
last accessed on 04.10.2020 Smith
& Beck "Milk Box" Educational Microscope (https://exhibits.uncc.edu/s/Microscopes/item/2715),
last accessed on 04.10.2020 Smith
& Beck "Milk Box Microscope" (https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/museum/smithbeckcompmon1856.html), last
accessed on 04.10.2020 Microscope
Smith & Beck "The Educational Microscope" (http://www.lecompendium.com/dossier_optique_94_microscope_educational_model_smith_&_beck/microscope_educational_model_smith_&_beck.htm),
last accessed on 04.10.2020 Antique
Optics - R & J Beck "Educational" microscoop (https://antiqueoptics.eu/home/landen/verenigd-koninkrijk/r-j-beck/),
last accessed on 02.01.2021 Microscopios
s.XIX - Smith&Beck "The Educational" (c.1857) (https://sites.google.com/site/microscopiosxix/home/beck_educational),
last accessed on 02.01.2021 Smith & Beck Educational brass microscope – circa 1858 (http://arsmachina.com/beckstudent1257.htm),
last accessed on 02.01.2021 LAST
EDITED: 04.10.2020 |
