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Microscope Museum Collection of antique microscopes and other
scientific instruments |
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Microscope oil lamp by J. Swift
& Son (late 19th century) Microscope oil lamp brass holder engraved with “SWIFT & SON,
LONDON”. This microscope lamp was described as “cheap microscope lamp” in an
1892 catalogue of the firm” (Figure 1) and should be dated to the late 19th
century. The burner is
engraved with “PATENTED SEPT.16.1862”, and “HOLMES BOOTH & HAYDENS,
WATERBURY CT”. The company Holmes, Booth & Haydens
started in 1853 as a partnership between Hiram W. Hayden, Israel Holmes and John C. Booth, in Waterbury (Connecticut, USA).
Henry H. Hayden and James A. Hayden were also associated with the firm, hence
the plural Haydens in the company name. The company
was engaged in casting, rolling and drawing brass
and copper, and were important manufacturers of lamps and burners. The
company operated independently until late 1901, when it became part of the
American Brass Company. The Holmes, Booth & Haydens
was assigned at least 56 lighting-related patents between January 24, 1860,
and January 30, 1894. The “PATENTED SEPT.16.1862” corresponds to the US
patent 36493 for a lamp burner (Figure 2). James Swift were microscope makers
trading from London and founded in 1853 by James Powell Swift, who was son of
the watchmaker Thomas Swift. Before founding his company, James Swift was
apprenticed to the well-known microscope maker Andrew Ross. In 1881 they made
improvements to microscope design, including the replacement of the straight
rack and pinion focusing to helical cut components and a new fine focus
system. In 1884, Mansell James Swift, son of James Powell, joined the company
and the name was changed to James Swift & Son. In 1901, Captain Scott was
supplied with Swift microscopes for use on the R.R.S. Discovery for the
1901-1904 expedition, named in the catalogue of the time as the 'Discovery'
model. In 1903, Mansell Powell John Swift, grandson of the founder, joined
the company. In 1906, the founder of the company, James Powell Swift, died. In
1912, the company was incorporated as a limited company and the name changed
to J. Swift Ltd. In 1942, both Mansell Powell and Mansell James died. In
1946, ER Watts and Son Ltd took over the company, mainly due to the
association between the Watts and Swift families in earlier years. In 1949,
they employed John H. Basset who, in 1968, took over the company. Figure 1. Swift’s microscope lamp as featured in the catalogues of
several firms: (A) J. Swift & Son (1870s); (B) J Swift & Sons (1892,
1906); (C) Claudius Ash & Sons (1886), Reynolds & Branson (1887) and
Down Bros (1906) Figure 2. US patent No. 36493 (16.09.1962), attributed to Lewis J.
Atwood, describing a lamp burner. |