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Microscope Museum Collection of antique microscopes and other
scientific instruments |
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Microscope
156 (Charles
Baker; improved nature microscope; second quarter of the 20th
century)
The
business of Baker was founded in London in about 1765, Charles Baker, who was
born in 1820, giving his name to the company from about 1851. When Charles
Baker died in 1894 the firm continued under the same name but run by the
Curties family until it became, in 1936, Charles Baker & Co. and
subsequently, sometime in the 1940s, C. Baker Ltd. The firm’s address mostly
given as 244 High Holborn, London (but sometimes 243 and 245, sometimes in
combination). The firm produced optical and surgical instruments. In 1963,
Vickers acquired the C Baker Ltd microscope factory and a new company called
Vickers Instruments was formed. Microscope
156 is an improved nature microscope from Charles Baker and can be dated to
the second quarter of the 20th century (Figure 1). The instrument is labelled
with ‘C Baker, London’ and contains the serial number 16528. Focus is by
turning the main tube via a knurled brass outer casing. The magnification can
be varied between 25 and 200 times. Baker’s Nature microscopes were first
offered from about 1912, and the improved versions were first offered around
1919. These instruments were used mostly in universities, colleges and
schools throughout the British empire and were the official model for most
education authorities of the time.
Figure 1. Baker’s
improved nature microscope as illustrated in the 11th edition of the
Gallenkamp general catalogue (1939). References Charles
Baker (https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Charles_Baker), last accessed on
12.08.2020 PORTABLE
COMPOUND STUDENT MICROSCOPE, c. 1919-24, MODEL: 'IMPROVED NATURE MICROSCOPE'
(http://www.microscope-antiques.com/bakernature.html), last accessed on
12.12.2020 Solliday
JD. 1996. Charles Baker: His Contributions to Microscopy. Quekett J.
Microscopy 37: 633 - 646. LAST
EDITED: 26.01.2021 |
