by Mike Samworth, UK
The Easter weekend turned out to be quite a good one. I went up to Sheffield to stay with my mother for a few days and apart from the usual jobs she wanted doing (which included planing a couple of bedroom doors after having new carpets fitted) we visited my sister on the Sunday. She works in the pharmacy at the main Boots' chemist in Sheffield city centre and was working that day until 2 pm. We were to pick her up at that time, a feat easier said than done for me as Sheffield has changed so much since I last lived there (1980 ! ) and there is the super tram to stay out of the way of. When we arrived at her house, Mick, her husband was out walking the dogs. As I entered the living room I spotted what looked like a microscope case. I queried this and she said that Mick wanted me to have a look at it; a friend had given it to him.
Much to the annoyance of my sister and mother we spent the whole afternoon playing with this box of tricks. Right from the outset I knew it was something special, the case was huge, and it had a plate with the words "Carl Zeiss Jena" on. When the door was opened it looked as if the instrument was in a folded position in the case. Eventually I got it out and realized my mistake, it was an inverted microscope.
Main instrument: serial No. 240301
Small box of objectives:
N.A.
x 90 1.30
x 60 0.90
x 30 0.65
x 15 0.30
These are all very small lenses on small holders with no RMS thread. They are all Apochromatic and are marked 'Tubus' with an infinity sign next to it (infinity corrected?)
Two more objectives:
40 mm 2,9 Apo
24 mm 0.20 Apo
Both with RMS thread.
Eyepieces:
Homal I f=20 mm
Homal II f= 20 mm
Homal III f= 20 mm
Homal II f= -70 mm
Photo 1 4.5x
K.m x5
Winkel unknown!
Winkel K 15x Mobimi
All optics are Winkel-Zeiss, Gottingen.
There are also stage clips, two measuring devices, a lighting unit and two dove- tailed 'slides' that fit where the light from the lamp intersects with the image forming rays. One has a 45 degree mirror, the other a prism arrangement.
The monocular tube is inclined near the base of the instrument and there is also a photo tube that takes the Homal photo eyepieces. A lever underneath directs light to one or the other.
My brother-in-law has no interest in microscopes at all. I have been in conversation with Steve Gill. He has two catalogues that he is bringing to Lutterworth, one with a 'Neophot' in, and the other a 'Metalliput' . I do not have the instrument down here with me, but have some of the optics, which I have cleaned up. I am enjoying the 'sleuthing' though there will come a point where I either have to have it myself, or he wants to know how much it is worth. A tricky situation!
Any additional information that anyone can add to the above would be most welcome.
Email Mike Samworth.
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