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
Smith and Beck, 'Large Best' or No. 1, 1856
Model history: This microscope was the biggest that the firm of R & J Beck produced standing at an impressive 52 cm. with the eyepieces racked up. It is equipped with a large Wenham binocular body tube with course focusing at the back. Fine focusing is via a short lever on the nose piece. It is signed on the foot 'Smith & Beck, 6 Coleman St, London'. According to the company's delivery books, this specific instrument (having the serial number 1257) was supplied on 1856 or early 1857. It is an unfortunate mishap that the page of serial numbers 1246-1311 is missing hence we cannot obtain the name of the buyer.
This was the top-of-the-line model produced by the firm at the time. James Smith (1789 – 1870) established himself in business in 1839. Working with J.J. Lister in the design of the objectives used on his microscopes, he gained high reputation from the onset. In 1841 he was requested by the Royal Microscopical Society to supply them with one of his microscopes, which was regarded good but slightly inferior to the one given by Andrew Ross. In 1847 Smith took into partnership Richard Beck (1827 – 1866), J. J. Lister's nephew, and the firm was renamed “Smith & Beck.” In 1851, Joseph Beck (1829 – 1891) joined his brother in the firm and the name became "Smith, Beck & Beck". After Smith's retirement in 1864 it became R&J Beck, a trademark that continued into the 20th century.
Scientific work made with this model: A No. 1 microscope by Smith and Beck was bought for £34 in 1847 by Charles Darwin for inspecting the anatomical variations that divide the sub-species of cirripedia which can only be observed under a high power instrument.
Accessories Case
The microscope, stored in its own large mahogany case, another case with accessories accompanies it. These accessories can be found in R. & J. Beck's catalogue and discussed in Wissner's collection regarding a portable model and the same model in early production by H. & W. Crouch. There are many variations in shape and contents of these accessory sets, and they may have been made specifically by order of the clients. The set seen here is rather basic, containing the more commonly-used components, but other cases (such as the above-quoted) include vast numbers of accessories many of which, it may be assumed, were never in use by a routinely working microscopist.
