Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

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charlie g
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Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#1 Post by charlie g » Sat Dec 16, 2017 12:23 am

I used to stop at this NY/NJ highlands border area store for plants, pasteries, coffee...right on Rt 17. One year in the fall...there it was in it's original box with no pamphlet...surrounded by Fall season, Halloween decorative gifts.

I used a professional microscope dealer/service company in Hicksville,L.I, NY to clean it's already good optics and mechanism. Of course it's wooden case was bashed horribly in shipment...sigh.

It has both a monoc head, and binoc head, both with same serial number...the binoc head 'breaks your neck' if you don't tilt the stands axis. No markings on it's condenser, the iris and filter tray work smooth for this condenser, A wooder rack holds: Object marker, 1/12 oil-immer. Na 1.3 objective, then three objectives marked: "6", "4", "3". All with their original black metal screw cap 'pots'.

Their are a pair of oculars marked:"6X", and a pair marked:" 4 B ", E.Leitz Wetzlar is etched on all oculars, all objectives. The objectives are brass with dull (lost their shine over time?) silver end assemblies.

Using a mounted diatom slide prepared for me by Walter Franchini...the #'s 3,4, and 6 objectives seem like : 10X, 20 X, 40X...I did not calibrate this estimate.

I love the brass I love the black enamel base..the effect to my whimsy is that these objectives are 'sporting spats'! Using the concave stand mirror with the desk lamp..the diatom images are quite sweet. One day I will take this stand out for the proper attention it deserves.

I asked the 'country store' owner where this scope came from? This owner of: "Grandmas Country Store" simply said: " I have no idea..my wife buys things from all around.".

Any guesses on the manufacture year of this stand will be greatly appreciated. The botch-repair I did of the wooden case was to pack this stand with it's err...siblings for our relocation up here years ago...I have not opened and greeted this stand since I packed it years ago. Charlie guevara
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Last edited by charlie g on Wed Dec 20, 2017 6:33 pm, edited 3 times in total.

charlie g
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Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#2 Post by charlie g » Sat Dec 16, 2017 12:36 am

I really should give this stand more light. Charlie guevara
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charlie g
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Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#3 Post by charlie g » Sat Dec 16, 2017 12:51 am

Any speculation on the manufacturer year/ time frame for this stand, greatly appreciated. Charlie guevara
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Charles
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Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#4 Post by Charles » Sat Dec 16, 2017 2:50 am

A fine looking instrument Charlie! Thank you for sharing.

The serial number dates it to 1925.

MichaelG.
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Location: North Wales

Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#5 Post by MichaelG. » Sat Dec 16, 2017 10:04 am

Although the differences are obvious ... it bears a strong family resemblance to this rather spectacular petrological model:
http://www.antique-microscopes.com/phot ... oscope.htm

MichaelG.
.
Edit: It's worth browsing the photos in this ebay listing:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ernst- ... 2162291860
Too many 'projects'

charlie g
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Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#6 Post by charlie g » Sun Dec 17, 2017 2:44 am

Thank you Charles for the 1925 date of this stand. Thank you Michael G. for the peek at the 1929 brochure..quite useful for my appreciation of this stands place in a family of systems.

Quite a time of world events...1925-1929. Charlie guevara

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Radazz
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Location: Arnold, Missouri USA

Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#7 Post by Radazz » Sun Dec 17, 2017 11:57 am

Congrats on a beautiful find!
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40

billbillt
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Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#8 Post by billbillt » Sun Dec 17, 2017 5:47 pm

Yes, that is a beautiful stand.. A great find...

BillT

charlie g
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Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#9 Post by charlie g » Mon Dec 18, 2017 2:57 am

I passed along to this vintage stand your cheer for it, Radazz and BillT...thanks. Michael G's kind link to the 1929 brochure of these stands which an EBay seller offers...well my 1925 stand is quite similar to the #9 option in the brochure...I guess the 1.20 condenser, the oil-immer. 1.30 objective..my stand a triple nosepiece, no mechanical stage (? the standard clutch version vrs. automatic transmission?). Yet four objectives, and an objectmarker...clearly a purposed working stand at some point in it's career.

I know I can calculate the optics magnifications using labelled objectives, labelled oculars...but what a tease!! The pair of oculars etched: " 4 B", and the objectives only labelled: "3, 4 , 6 ".

Even in the EBay linked pamphlet..objectives only labelled: "6, 4", etc.. Like quite a few of my stands, this one deserves a course of wetmount live organism observations.

thanks all, Charlie guevara

MichaelG.
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Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#10 Post by MichaelG. » Mon Dec 18, 2017 4:48 am

Charlie,

Forgive me if this is already known.

Your mention of the 4B oculars triggered a memory; and I've just rediscovered the source:
Designations Leica roof prism binoculars offer one or more of three basic design descriptions, each of these with very distinct benefits. These are the indicated by the following suffixes B, C, or BCA after binocular magnification and aperture (i.e. 10 x 25 BCA). The suffix "B" indicates the binocular eyepiece is designed with enough eye relief so that eyeglass wearers (sun glass, or prescription) will see most if not the entire apparent field of view.
http://www.company7.com/leica/binoculars.html

MichaelG.
.

Edit: The German for 'Spectacles' is 'Brille'
Too many 'projects'

charlie g
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Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#11 Post by charlie g » Mon Dec 18, 2017 10:33 pm

Thank you, Michael G., for reminder of:"B" etched spec meaning these are 'high point oculars! "Company 7" in hinterlands of Wash. D.C., is a renowned retailer, and refurbisher of Astro-Physics refractor telescopes...my 5" triplet apo / f8 "Starfire" was purchased from Company 7..and so with your kind link, our microscopes and telescopes cross paths!

So here I again wonder...an ocular spec'd for being high point:"B"...but just like this 1925 stands objectives...not spec'd for actual magnification..."4 B".

How interesting that the useful spec of optics magnification was not engraved on the optics..yet intricate company logo etched on all the optics.

Charlie guevara

MichaelG.
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Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#12 Post by MichaelG. » Tue Dec 19, 2017 8:19 am

charlie g wrote:How interesting that the useful spec of optics magnification was not engraved on the optics..yet intricate company logo etched on all the optics.
I may have a reaonable explanation to offer for that, Charlie ...
As one of your images shows; this microscope is from an era when tube-length was an 'adjustment' rather than being considered sacrosanct. Clearly, in this arrangement, focal length is much more meaningful than some nominal magnification. ... Note that the Oel objective canister is marked 1/12, which I take to mean one twelfth of an inch.
The other numerical markings may represent focal length in millimetres, or they may be arbitrary references, along the lines of Small/Medium/Large.
If you can kindly do some stage-micrometer tests, it should be easy to determine which explanation is the more likely.

It would be interesting and useful to measure the characteristics of that lovely instrument.

MichaelG.

P.S. I can't recall the details, but I'm sure it was once common practice to mark eyepieces with a number rather than a magnification ... again, it should be a simple matter to determine whether '4B' has 4x magnification, or is a #4 eyepiece.
Too many 'projects'

charlie g
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Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#13 Post by charlie g » Wed Dec 20, 2017 12:45 am

Indeed you offer clear suggestions, Michael g., thank you. I have drank wonderful views of the set of diatom slides which Walter F. sent to me from Milan, Italy years ago...so I know the : "4 B" ocular is not 4X magnification. You shame me, Michael G., and Charles ( again, thank you both!), on crisp paths and simple attention I should be giving all my 'boxed and silent family of stands'.

In a way by trotting this elegant stand out of a dark box, for forum discussion, I'm recalling a famous painting of an...err...trader...demonstrating the status of the dentition of one of this traders 'wares'. Seriously now...I am in awe of the master opticians/machinists/craftpersons , of this 1925 stand...what a time on our globe 1925-1928 was for societies!

thanks for your forum sharing, Michael g. . Charlie guevara

MichaelG.
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Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#14 Post by MichaelG. » Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:05 am

charlie g wrote: I have drank wonderful views of the set of diatom slides which Walter F. sent to me from Milan, Italy years ago...so I know the : "4 B" ocular is not 4X magnification.
Thanks for confirming that, Charlie G.

I knew I had a useful tabulation of the numbering system "somewhere" and this morning I have just re-discovered it:
http://cnum.cnam.fr/CGI/fpage.cgi?M9975 ... 00/119/0/0
... Page 18 of this W. Watson catalogue explains.

Unfortunately, I cannot confirm whether E. Leitz used the same values; but at least the 'system' is clear.

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

charlie g
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Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#15 Post by charlie g » Wed Dec 20, 2017 6:23 pm

Beautiful booklet you linked to, thank you. I love that logo: 'the Watson lion'. The Watson code numbered oculars still ( sensibly I opine) have actual magnification numbers etched on the oculars.

I.m curious, the pamphlet listing of countries with 'depots of distribution' for Watson, lists Canada, but not US, does this mean the US outright blocked distribution of Watson to protect US firms?

thanks for link to a fascinating look at Watson microscopes, Michael G. Charlie guevara
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MichaelG.
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Re: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No 241302 , found at a rural 'country store'.

#16 Post by MichaelG. » Wed Dec 20, 2017 9:12 pm

charlie g wrote: The Watson code numbered oculars still ( sensibly I opine) have actual magnification numbers etched on the oculars.
Although I'm not conversant with the 'timeline' I think that particular booklet comes from a transitional period, when both systems were in fairly common use.

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

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