Photo by David Friend Productions, San Diego, California
"THE WORKING MICROSCOPE" by GEORGE WALE
01-009. American, patent dated 1879, and signed "Geo. Wale." Made of polished lacquered brass, with black enameled base & radial arm, and standing 10" high (min), extending to over 16" by rack & pinion coarse focussing and a single draw tube, with fine focussing by a knurled fine focus knob atop the limb. An exceptional microscope by George Wale, this instrument has several highly innovative design features, some of which were later copied by major microscope manufacturers. Most significant is the method of inclining the microscope with a radial arm. The base fits into the semi-circular slot on the lower limb and, once positioned, is easily tightened in place with a brass knob. A further innovation, the rotating slide clips, that are joined into a single unit that clamps onto the stage and is easily rotate in grooves cut into the top and bottom of the stage. The microscope also has a patented iris diaphragm built into the stage. The original accessories include 2 eyepieces and 2 objectives (2/3" and 1/5"), each signed "Geo. Wale, Histological Series," in matching brass canisters. The microscope and its accessories are all in fine overall condition, in its original hand dove-tailed walnut case with lock & key and interior accessory drawer. The radial limb design first used here by George Wale was picked up and used in instruments made by Swift, in the exceptional Bausch & Lomb Concentric, and in the famous Ross Radial models.
