A wooden microscope box with a metal handle at the top. The case has a brass lock with a keyhole on the left side of the case. It has a small wooden drawer on the upper left quadrant of the interior as well as two shelves for mounting ocular lenses and objective lenses in their cases.
The case contains the following items:
– A small wooden drawer at the top right of the case contains a number of small objects including a tweezers, a metal rod, a lump of a wax-like substance, and several other small components.
– A holder for dark field microscopy stops, which appears to belong to microscope 2019.ihpst.67, has been placed in a small plastic bag along with five stops of various kinds and one darkened filter.
The top shelf holds one microscope ocular that appears to belong to 2019.ihpst.67.
The lower shelf in side the case holds three brass cases for objective lenses.
– The first contains a “1/5” objective,
– The second contains a “3/4” objective.
– The third, labelled “1/6” is likely for the “1/6” objective on microscope 2019.ihpst.68.
– The box contains a second smaller wooden box, 2019.ihpst.69.2 (19 x 4 x 11 cm with its lid in place), with five felt-lined holes. One of these contains an objective lens, likely for 2019.ihpst.68. It also includes three empty brass objective cases labelled “oil immersion”, “1/12”, and “2/3”. The latter two are likely for the objectives on 2019.ihpst.68. A fourth such case labelled “1/12” contains a 1/12 oil immersion lens.
– A small black case, 2019.ihpst.69.3 (9.5x 6.5 x 5.5 cm) contains a brass component consisting of a rotating turret with holes of variable sizes in order to adjust the light from the condenser 2019.ihpst.67. The hinge on the lid to this box has broken. The brass component is in good condition with some oxidation.
Loose in the microscope case are the following bits and pieces:
– One heart-shaped plastic key chain with four metal keys.
– One card listing the magnifications of various Bausch & Lomb objectives and eyepieces. This has been removed, placed in an envelope, and filed with the documents associated with this object
– One brush with a wooden handle and animal hair bristles. “Dr. Hobbey” is written in ink on the side of this brush.
– One six-inch wooden ruler from Pithie Electric Co. in Windsor, Ontario.
Accession Number: 2019.ihpst.69.1-3
Alternative Name:
Primary Materials: Wood, Copper Alloy, Iron Alloy
Markings:
Height = 33, Width = 20.5, Length = 19.5.
An enclosure, along with associated equipment, for an older Bausch & Lomb microscope.
Good: The back of the box has warped and split, though the box appears to be structurally sound.
Associated Instruments: 2019.ihpst.67, 2019.ihpst.68
Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. Rochester, N. Y.
Date of Manufacture: Early 20th c.
It is not clear whether this box was purchased with microscope 2019.ihpst.67 or 2019.ihpst.68. It contains items that appear to belong to both microscopes.
This material was donated to the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology by Dr. William (Bill) F Brien, MD, FRCPC on 26 April 2017. Dr. Brien was then finishing a lab position at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
This material belonged to his grandfather, James W. Brian, and was passed down to his father, Wilbert P. Brien. Both were medical graduates of the University of Toronto.
Additional Information and References:
Historical Notes:
Themes:
- Donated to UTSIC