Description

I can only describe this Swift & Son Paragon monocular microscope as a No. 2 (student model) due to it’s diminutive stature. Standing only 12 inches tall (15 inches fully racked). it is constructed from bright and anodised brass c.1910. Simply yet extensively accessorised, it boasts 6 signed Swift objectives ranging from 1 inch to 1/12  of an inch (repeat on 1/6-later addition-will look for anything missing i.e. 1/2 or additional eyepiece). The 1/12 inch is marked as oil immersion.

As with all Wale limb/Paragon models it is duly marked and signed with the 81 Tottenham Court Road address but lighter and more compact (case measures 13 x 8 x 6  inches). Other accessories include an excellent double sided mirror, substage iris, substage prism and wheel of stops (rotates by a wheel built into the rotating stage), stage clips, stage forceps, fine focus on the body tube, one eyepiece, fully inclining by knurled knob, bench condenser, live box, nosepiece analyser/prism, double objective changer, etc.

Nice original golden lacquer (some sticky residue on the body tube-will let the new owner clean at will), no screws out of place or bruised, black glass stage insert, tight and sure rack and pinion action, good optics, minimal wear to the foot. 

Faults include blue glass substage insert cracked (objective impact) and lock missing from mahogany case (screws present as if previous owner removed it to have a key made and never replaced it-they are available). Brass carrying handle to the top of the case. All in all, a fine example of the famous Swift Paragon model of reduced size.