Description

Background to Smith & Beck:

The firm Smith & Beck was originally established in London, by Richard Beck (1827 – 1866) in association with James Smith (1800 – 1873), and later to be joined by his brother Joseph Beck.  Richard and Joseph Beck were nephews of Joseph Jackson Lister, who was a respected British optician and physicist who experimented with achromatic lenses and perfected them for use in optical microscopes. In commissioning the manufacture of his improved microscope, Lister worked with James Smith, an employee of the instrument-making firm of William Tulley, to create the stand. James Smith went on to establish his own optical instruments workshop in 1837. Through this relationship, Lister arranged for his nephew, Richard Beck to be an apprentice under Smith in 1843. In 1847, James Smith entered into partnership with Richard Beck, and the company was therefore re-named Smith & Beck. Some years later the company was renamed again as Smith, Beck and Beck, when Richard Beck’s brother Joseph Beck joined the company. James Smith retired in 1865 and the company then became R & J Beck and this name lasted until well into the latter part of the twentieth century.  

In terms of the technical details, the instrument stands on what looks like an oxidised or possibly anodised brass reverse Y-shaped foot with twin uprights leading to the main pivot joint, which can be adjusted for tension if required.  There’s a single pillar limb with attached lister-type upper limb giving a good range of coarse focus travel, which should allow low power objectives of up to around 3 inches to be used.  The instrument tilts for inclined viewing and holds in position throughout the usable range of inclination.  Coarse focus is via the older-style straight-cut rack and pinion, with reasonably smooth action, a good straight-cut rack with no missing teeth and the main optical tube holding in position as it should on adjustment.  Note: one of the coarse focus thumb-wheels is slightly bucked, but the focus action isn’t compromised.  Fine focus is controlled via a separate brass thumb-wheel at the rear of the limb, acting on a lever, which operates against sprung resistance moving the whole upper limb and optical assembly, so carrying quite a lot of weight. 

With its optics, this instrument is in monocular configuration with a manually extendable graduated eyepiece draw-tube.  Extending the draw-tube will increase magnification – you also have to re-focus.  There’s a single top-hat eyepiece supplied with the instrument, as under:

– approx 6x magnification unbranded – probably by Smith & Beck

There is also an appropriate objective lens in brass, as under – note the instrument is non-RMS in terms of thread diameter:

– 1 inch – 6x magnification by Smith & Beck

The magnification available as currently configured is therefore around 36x.

The plain rectangular brass stage is attached to the limb tail-piece at the pivot point and has two dovetail recesses with a specimen holder slider that moves by manual adjustment and holds position well.  It’s fitted with a ledge rest for slides as shown in the listing photos.  There are recesses in the stage slider for fitting stage tools such as forceps etc..

In terms of the sub-stage, there is a brass sub-stage mount which will accept accessories specific to this model, although none are supplied with this example.

Lighting is via a plano-concave mirror (which will be a later replacement) on a height and swing adjustable brass slider with gimbal, with period silvering that’s in good condition to both sides – the plano-side has a frosted surface finish. 

The instrument and its controls have been very gently dusted, lightly lubricated and operate smoothly with age-appropriate signs of wear as one would expect for an instrument of this period.  With its honest period look and quite commanding presence when extended, it’ll make a great display piece in the right setting and is also a usable instrument – one of the photos shows it next to my other Smith & Beck Wenham binocular model and it’s of a similar size as you’ll see.  It presents really well and I’m certain it will look the part in a library or home office, especially when set up with an appropriate antique slide.  I’ve set it up as a display item on a one of our mantelpieces – shown towards the end of the listing photo-stream.  Now also supplied with a nice period hardwood storage case in mahogany.

Owing to the weight and delicacy of this antique microscope, it will be partially dismantled, carefully wrapped for shipping and dispatched by insured courier upon receipt of cleared funds. 

Thanks for looking.