Binocular compound microscope

The head starts with a tube that branches into 2 parts at the top, the ends of which house the eyepieces. These move along a rack mechanism controlled by a screw on the right-hand side. At the bottom is an accessory that can hold 2 lenses, making it is easy to alternate between them. The regular cylindrical pillar has an external sleeve with an inner quadrangular rack mechanism. This allows it to move vertically thanks to 2 screws which, in turn, move the head for macroscopic focus. At the top of the pillar is another screw for microscopic focus. The round stage is held by the pillar and has a central hole to allow light in through a condenser. It has a mechanical system allowing the sample to be moved in 2 directions. Under the stage is a diaphragm with different-sized holes, which is used to control the intensity of the light reflected by the plano-concave mirror below. The base is black and triangular. The top of it has various supports for the bottom of the microscope to sit in so that it can be tilted. The lenses were made by the same manufacturer that created the instrument itself: Smith, Beck & Beck.

The company R & J Beck was originally founded in London by Richard Beck and his brother Joseph Beck. The Beck brothers were nephews of Jackson Lister, a wine trade associate of their father's and an optical businessman investigating achromatic lenses. Lister worked with James Smith and became part of the company, which was renamed "Smith & Beck" in 1847 before changing its name to "Smith, Beck & Beck" in 1854. The business grew to employ 40 men and 35 young people. James Smith retired in 1865 and the company was renamed "R & J Beck." For a long time it operated from 6 Coleman Street in London, producing a wide range of optical instruments such as microscopes, telescopes, military periscopes, lenses, cameras, and more. In 1865 the company moved to 31 Cornhill in London, which is the same year that Richard published his book "The Achromatic Microscope."