Description

Offered for sale is an extremely well presented example of a C. Baker microscope in brass – it’s a late model example and dates to 1926 based on its serial number 38121 with its correct original case.  This is a quite exceptionally good cosmetic example with very little wear and lacquered brass-work that’s retained virtually all its condition, which is pretty remarkable considering the instrument’s age at 99 years and counting.  I hope that the listing photos do the instrument justice and showcase its stunning museum-quality visual appeal.

Background to C. Baker – source Microscope Museum

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.

It’s also very interesting to see some provenance in the case, namely there’s an original sales invoice dating to 1960 when this microscope was re-sold by C. Baker’s second-hand optical retail outlet, named REKAB, which of course is just Baker spelt backwards!  This second-hand retail outlet which was a subsidiary of C. Baker Ltd seems to have operated from the same premises at 244 High Holborn, London.  The paperwork indicates that back in 1960 this microscope was sold second-hand with its current compliment of Zeiss optics for around GBP 41, which was a tidy sum 65 years ago.  Using the Bank of England’s inflation caculator that’s the equivalent of GBP 809 in today’s money!

Turning to the technical details, the instrument stands on a cast brass tripod foot with twin uprights supporting the pivot, with tension adjustment and Lister-type upper limb arrangement.  The coarse focus is via rack and pinion with good smooth action that holds in position on adjustment.  Fine focus is operated via a separate brass thumb-wheel located at the rear of the upper limb which operates an internal lever system acting against sprung resistance.  The focusing technique being to achieve near focus with the coarse thumb-wheels, then fine-tune with the single rear thumb-wheel, which only has a fairly small range of movement via its vernier screw mechanism.

With the optics, this microscope comes fitted with a period graduated chromed eyepiece draw-tube inside a black-painted brass main optical tube and there’s three vintage eyepieces that with adequate illumination produce very good images:

– No. 2 – 6x magnification – C. Baker
– No. 4 – 10x magnification – C. Baker
– Unbranded – 15x magnification

It’s also got three high-quality period objectives by Carl Zeiss on a triple turret which rotates freely with a nice positive feel as the objectives align to the viewing position.  The objectives are as follows:

– AA – 6x magnification – Carl Zeiss
– DD – 40x magnification – Carl Zeiss
– 1/12th inch – Carl Zeiss – 100x magnification and oil immersion is required
(the objectives all have their correct period brass canisters)

Overall therefore, the range of magnification available ranges from about 36x with the lowest power lens combination, up to around 1,500x with the highest power combination and use of oil immersion techniques.

The specimen stage is mechanical in brass with twin thumb-wheel adjusters on the right hand side of the stage that have just the right feel and give excellent x/y sample movement.  The x-axis mechanism attaches to the stage surface in the manner of an over-stage with single thumb-wheel attachment and a couple of guide-pin holes for alignment.  The y-axis mechanism is integral to the stage and this axis also holds position on inclination.  Both axes have vernier scales in what is a pleasing easy-to-use stage design.

Turning to the sub-stage, we have an Abbe-type condenser in a ring-mount with good vertical reach.  There’s centering controls comprising brass thumb-screws and the condenser sits in a height adjustable rack and pinion mount with single-sided brass thumb-wheel to adjust the height.  The condenser assembly also has a working iris to control lighting levels and there’s a swing-out filter carrier for adding coloured, opaque or dark-field filters.  Lighting is via a plano-concave mirror on a rotation/height-adjustable brass support with gimbal giving good adjustability, with period silvering that’s in very good condition to both sides.  The mirror locates onto the underside of the limb tail-piece.

The instrument’s controls and friction surfaces have been very lightly lubricated and operate smoothly with a nice feel and there’s very little in the way of age-related signs of wear to the moving parts and friction surfaces.  This instrument presents very very well with lovely gleaming brass-work and pristine black paintwork showing few signs of tarnishing and spotting which is remarkable given its age, with just a coup of brassing rub-marks where one would expect.  This indicates to me that the instrument has obviously been very well looked after throughout its life and it’s in excellent shape for an inter-war example from the 1930s.  This is essentially a near-perfect collectible C. Baker stand in just the right condition for a collector or connoisseur – it’ll also make a great usable and display item and is offered at an attractive price point for a vintage model of this age in this condition.  It also presents really well while being used as a desk-top instrument and will also display rather nicely in a library or home office setting.

There’s the original C. Baker storage case with this example with a nice exterior finish and good period sheen.  It’s got a leather carry-handle (showing some age), internal lens racking and a latch to keep the door closed (lock present but key absent) – it complements the microscope perfectly.

Owing to the weight and delicacy of this antique C. Baker microscope and its case, it will be partially dismantled, very well wrapped for shipping and dispatched by insured courier upon receipt of cleared funds.  Overseas buyers please use the eBay Global Shipping option if available for your territory, or contact seller for alternative shipping options and costs.

Thanks for looking.