General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

14

AKA

Pillar

Patents

N/A

General Description

Brass bar and stage

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

7.0 cm

Width

5.3 cm

Height

2.7 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Physics

Category

Light & electromagnetic radiation

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Cary

Country

England

State/Province

Unknown

City

London

Context

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

Period

Unknown

Canada

Mr. Gray was a teacher at Merivale School (ca. 1969-72) in Ottawa then at Woodsworth School (1972-1998) where he taught biology and chemistry and some math and music. The microscope was in the Woodsworth School where it was occasionally used in his classes. However, Mr. Gray did not know how it had come to be there. It was given to him after he left the school. Mr. Gray actually used the RCA / NRC electron microscope (1972.0614) in the early 1960s while he was taking a BA at Carleton Univ. where it had been transferred when NRC disposed of it. These Cary microscopes were most commonly used by women and children on Sunday afternoon treks. Compact and easily assembled, and with reasonable good (though not achromatic) optics, they were an educational instrument for the curious. The price was modest so within the reach of the upper middle class British families. We can only guess how this example made its way to Canada. (Taken from the worksheet)

Function

A small portable microscope carried in a pocket or purse for magnifying plant or insect biological specimens.

Technical

This was a very common type of microscope in the second quarter of the 19th c and those by Cary were (and still are) very common. This form was in fact developed by Charles Gould who worked for William Cary in his factory, where all these types of microscopes were manufactured. (Taken from the worksheet)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

"Cary LONDON" on proper right of pillar.

Missing

Screw to attach the arm to the pillar is missing.

Finish

All brass finish

Decoration

N/A