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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 BAKNAT. 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 |
