Microscope Museum

Collection of antique microscopes and other scientific instruments

 

    

Microscope 157 (Benn Franks Limited; late 19th century)

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Benn Franks was born in Manchester in 1862, the seventh of the ten children, and by 1891 he became an optician living at 88 Bury New Road Salford. In 1895 he married Helena Mindlesohn and they settled in Hull. Benn Franks Opticians had branches in that city as well as in Doncaster, Hanley and Oldham. The company was listed in several Trade Directories and advertised in the Staffordshire Sentinel in 1915. Benn Franks died in Hull in 1940. Microscope 157 was probably made in England in the second half of the 19th century. The microscope is engraved with ‘BENN FRANKS, OPTICIAN, HULL, HANLEY, ETC’ but it is likely that this firm was simply a retailer for these microscopes.

 

LAST EDITED: 26.01.2021