Microscope Museum

Collection of antique microscopes and other scientific instruments

 

    

Microscope 503 (Gillett & Sibert; Monolynx inverted metallurgy microscope, Open University model; 1970s)

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Gillett & Sibert was an English microscope manufacturer based at 417 Battersea Park Road, London (1961 – c. 1970) and at 50 Vicarage Crescent, Battersea, London during the 1970s. The company was more an assembler rather than a maker, and many of their components were made in Germany. The company practically ceased to operate by the early 1980s, but the name was later revived. Microscope 503 is a Monolynx inverted metallurgy microscope, Open University model, from Gillett & Sibert and can be dated to the 1970s (Figure 1). This instrument was manufactured by Gillett & Sibert for the Open University and used for geological work by students. The opaque specimen was placed upside-down on the stage, lit by an internal lamp (in this case powered by built-in batteries), focussed by the large plastic wheel below the stage, and the magnification adjusted by using more or fewer of the tubes below the eyepiece. The combination of tubes allowed magnifications of 60x, 100x, 140x and 175x. The body of the instrument is diecast in alloy, a metal stage is fitted, and the tubes are rigid plastic.

 

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Figure 1. Monolynx inverted metallurgy microscope, Open University model, as featured on a Gillett & Sibert’s 1970s leaflet.