General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

33

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Mostly brass construction with some steel fasteners and pins and a glass mirror.

Dimensions

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

Length

21.0 cm

Width

17.5 cm

Height

45.5 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

Ackland

Country

England

State/Province

Unknown

City

London

Context

Country

England

State/Province

Unknown

Period

1895-1954

Canada

This is an extremely rare of collection documenting the work and processes of a slide preparer, C.R. Percival. Slide preparation is the foundation of microscopy and its images and yet seldom has this kind of history been told, and almost never preserved in material form. C.R. Percival had learned the art and science of slide preparation in England at the turn of the century. He then took up the trade in Toronto where he spent the majority of his life. Above all, this collection provides a comprehensive understanding of the multilayered material, scientific, artisanal, commercial and social processes behind the production of microscopic images. In an era when people and especially students take for granted the creation of scientific imagery, this collection documents in rich, well preserved historical detail the means microscopic images are created (and interpreted) within particular historic conditions. The Canadian and British provenance for this collection is very well-documented back to C.R. Percival. (From Acquisition Worksheet, see Ref. 1)

Function

Used to magnify specimens for microscopic study. This microscope was used by a slide preparer to examine a wide variety of objects, including marine, insect, geological and botanical specimens.

Technical

Unknown

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

On the base of the microscope at the proper back: "ACKLAND/ LONDON/ No. 1569"

Missing

Appears complete

Finish

The microscope has a generally brass-coloured frame with some black metal elements and a reflective, silvered mirror.

Decoration

N/A