Offered for sale is an usual collectable example of a part antique brass microscope by quality makers James Smith of London.   The instrument is numbered 138 and bears the details of its makers and serial number on the tripod foot.  It's a late example of a James Smith dating to 1846 according to my dating table source and will be part of a large best or No. 1 stand - see image at end of listing photos.


Details & Background to James Smith - source Microscope Antiques.com
 

James Smith, an optician and instrument maker, apparently made instruments for retailers working as a maker to the trade. In 1826, J.J. Lister, (father of the famous surgeon) apparently bought his first Smith microscope from Tulley who employed Smith. That instrument was of a Jones most improved design, except for the optical tube which included a lever-screw fine focus and was not tapered like many non-achromatic examples. According to the RMS journal, Lister asked the advice of Bates as to which instrument maker he should use, to make an improved model of microscope. He was apparently advised to see Smith directly, which he did.

Smith apparently was unable to sell these Lister-inspired microscopes to retailers; Bates, Dollond, and Dixey all rejected them. This may have been what inspired him to go into business independently. Company records show that he started numbering and signing instruments in 1839. This stand was designed specifically for his newly designed objectives (which Lister had designed). This major improvement was important to create a more stable instrument for the higher resolution then made possible by the new Lister-designed objectives. The delivery records reveal that No. 3 went to Lister's nephew R. L. Beck (Smith's future partner) in 1839, No. 22 to Dr Hodgkin in 1840, No. 41 to Lister himself, and No. 43 went to the newly formed Royal Microscopical Society as its first purchase in 1841. The Large Best Stand was one of the first that James Smith produced and signed. It was improved over the years to be supported between two pillars instead of a single-pillared compass joint.

The Large Best Model, first produced in 1839, and of the same design in 1840, was featured on the frontispiece of several popular microscopy books of the times, including "The Microscopist or a A Complete Manual on the Use of the Microscope..." by Joseph Wythes MD published in 1852 by Lindsay and Blakiston of Philadelphia, and it was featured in periodicals as well. As well constructed as it was, it was the least expensive top-of-the-line microscope of the time, those of Andrew Ross and Powell & Lealand being more expensive. The "Large Best" was later also called the "No. 1 Stand" and also called the "First-Class" microscope. James Smith was the founder of his firm which in 1847 became Smith and Beck and in 1857 it became Smith, Beck and Beck. When James Smith retired in 1865, the company was again renamed, this time to R. & J. Beck. The company continued to produce microscopes well into the twentieth century.


So what we have here is the bottom half only of a late James Smith Best No. 1 stand and from what remains, it's clear that what we have is part of a really well-engineered and characterful instrument of substantial construction.  The various remaining parts are endowed with age and use-related patination and lacquer finishes showing evidence of historic polishing to the majority of surfaces, which is quite common for antique instruments of this vintage.   This vestigial stand rises to about 11 inches tall when raised to the vertical and would have been a large impressive instrument in its day when complete.

In terms of the technical details for the parts we have, the instrument stands on a heavy brass Y-shaped foot with twin column uprights leading to the main pivot joint.  There’s part only of an upper limb with two holes for stage tools/accessories with set screws to secure into place, one of which is occupied. The instrument tilts which would allow inclined viewing and holds in position throughout its range of inclination. The entirety of the upper limb and all optical parts are absent and one can see a crude saw-cut where the upper limb has been detached - for what reason we may never know.  

There's a fully mechanical rectangular brass stage which is attached to the limb tailpiece just below the pivot point and is a well engineered feature that’s a delight to use, with nice smooth action to its moving parts - see photos showing the stage moving and its range of motion.  It’s got a joy-stick-type adjuster for manual movement of both axes, with smooth operation.  The top-plate slides off and also rotates and with careful adjustment it will complete a full 360 degrees.  It also has an integral specimen slider/ledge for holding slides during inclined viewing and when the axes are being moved around.  

Turning to the sub-stage, we have a  dovetail mount that's currently fitted with a four-position wheel-of-stops also in brass, with positive feel when the apertures are aligned to the optical axis. 

Lighting is via a 3 inch plano-concave mirror in a brass carrier on a height/rotation adjustable brass support arm and gimbal fitted to the limb tailpiece, with good range of adjustment.  The mirror silvering is in pretty good condition to both sides with reflectivity that's perfectly adequate. 

As mentioned, this is a part stand offered for sale as a useful collection of quality antique brass microscope parts, comprising:

- tripod, twin uprights and pivot marked Jas Smith, London #138 dating to about 1846
- mechanical stage with joy-stick control
- working dovetail fit wheel-of-stops
- 3 inch plano-concave mirror and gimbal/slider

Hopefully the parts will be of use to someone and it would be great if both halves of this stand could be re-united at some point.  Alternatively, this part stand may be of interest to a collector with a gap in their collection for a pre-Smith & Beck stand dating to the James Smith period, vis 1839 to 1847.

Owing to the weight and delicacy of this part antique microscope, it will be partially dismantled, carefully wrapped for shipping and dispatched by insured courier upon receipt of cleared funds.  

Thanks for looking and just message seller if any additional photos or details are required.