1902 Polarizing microscope
1902 Polarizing microscope
Added this one to the collection a few weeks ago, then had some real-life fall on me, so I wasn’t able to really poke around with it until now.
It’s a 1902 B&L scope, and in the case was a set of crystal polarizer and analyzer parts for it.
Imbedded in the parts are two crystals through which the light path passes length-wise.
The polarizer fits into a swing-out condenser housing that has an iris just under the stage, and can be rotated to cross the polls.
The analyzer crystal screws in between the tube and the objective and is threaded to the Royal Society standard. I had to adjust the slide tube to get an image without spherical aberration.
Also, the added length at the objective turns the scope into a potential slide-crusher if the operator is careless.
Time seems to have taken a toll on the crystals but turning the bottom crystal alternates between predominantly red/orange and predominantly green/blue. I had to capture these with my phone, the occuler diameter is ~ 27 mm so I couldn’t adapt the cc camera.
Tylenol 10x? Objective crystal polarizers AO 735 Illuminator
I recall seeing mention of this technique in one of the B&L or Spencer histories on line, but never thought I’d see one much less have one in my collection.
I wasn’t really sure whether to put this post here or in illumination techniques, but I think it fits better here.
Please enjoy,
Jim / Radazz
It’s a 1902 B&L scope, and in the case was a set of crystal polarizer and analyzer parts for it.
Imbedded in the parts are two crystals through which the light path passes length-wise.
The polarizer fits into a swing-out condenser housing that has an iris just under the stage, and can be rotated to cross the polls.
The analyzer crystal screws in between the tube and the objective and is threaded to the Royal Society standard. I had to adjust the slide tube to get an image without spherical aberration.
Also, the added length at the objective turns the scope into a potential slide-crusher if the operator is careless.
Time seems to have taken a toll on the crystals but turning the bottom crystal alternates between predominantly red/orange and predominantly green/blue. I had to capture these with my phone, the occuler diameter is ~ 27 mm so I couldn’t adapt the cc camera.
Tylenol 10x? Objective crystal polarizers AO 735 Illuminator
I recall seeing mention of this technique in one of the B&L or Spencer histories on line, but never thought I’d see one much less have one in my collection.
I wasn’t really sure whether to put this post here or in illumination techniques, but I think it fits better here.
Please enjoy,
Jim / Radazz
Last edited by Radazz on Thu May 24, 2018 10:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
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Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
That is a great find Radazz. Works too. B & L were late to switch their system over to metric. They conformed with regards to the RMS threads on their objectives but maintained inch measurements for the focal length. You can find virtually identical objectives marked in inches 2/3,1/3,1/5,1/6, 1/12 etc. and as 16mm, 8mm, 4mm, 1.8mm, manufactured only shortly after. They also were somewhat persistent in continuing to use the inch sized oculars( 1 1/32") and for good reason. They offered a considerably better field of view. I have no idea why 1 1/32" but had everyone else conformed to that standard for oculars, the fields of view for 50 years, until it was generally possible with better glass formulations to attain W.F. , would have been 50% bigger. It is somewhat similar to the .965 telescope eyepieces compared to 1/1/4".
Very nice microscope.
Very nice microscope.
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
Thanks, Apo,
And thanks for the info!
And thanks for the info!
Last edited by Radazz on Wed May 30, 2018 12:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
Now that's cool! I've been eyeballing polarizing microscopes for years but have yet to snag one (because?) I really don't know much about 'em. So yes, there is interest in this thread, please do keep posting your adventures with it. Love the images.
Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas
email: ngc704(at)gmail(dot)com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/67904872@ ... 912223623/
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas
email: ngc704(at)gmail(dot)com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/67904872@ ... 912223623/
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
A 100+ year old working microscope is pretty cool. Congratulations!
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
Thanks 75
I’m compulsive. If they are not functional I must make them so.
I’m compulsive. If they are not functional I must make them so.
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
This one seems to be similarly equipped.KurtM wrote:Now that's cool! I've been eyeballing polarizing microscopes for years but have yet to snag one (because?) I really don't know much about 'em. So yes, there is interest in this thread, please do keep posting your adventures with it. Love the images.
At least it looks like the accessories in the box have crystals in them.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/19th-century-b ... SwW8RbAfn8
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
Very nice, my B&L is from 1903!
My one has the 3 objective tri-lobe furret and a spencer mechanical stage, but looks like the exact frame, including the odd 27mm occular size.
My one has the 3 objective tri-lobe furret and a spencer mechanical stage, but looks like the exact frame, including the odd 27mm occular size.
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
Can I borrow an idea from this polarizing microscope? it is difficult to find pol accessories for my microscope. Optovars and similar gadgets are rare and expensive, at least for hobby use with only occasional interest in POL microscopy. But I found a thin 10x10 polarizing plastic material (presumably polaroid like) on bay. It is easy to cut circles of it. So, I can place a circle on top of the field diagram, and rotate it at will. I cut another circle, a small one, and insert it into the objective barrel. Will not be exactly perpendicular to the optical axis, but nevertheless.
What do you think? will it work or will there be artifacts?
What do you think? will it work or will there be artifacts?
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
I’ve played with several different kits and found 2 32mm polarizer disks for around $40 usd.Hobbyst46 wrote:Can I borrow an idea from this polarizing microscope? it is difficult to find pol accessories for my microscope. Optovars and similar gadgets are rare and expensive, at least for hobby use with only occasional interest in POL microscopy. But I found a thin 10x10 polarizing plastic material (presumably polaroid like) on bay. It is easy to cut circles of it. So, I can place a circle on top of the field diagram, and rotate it at will. I cut another circle, a small one, and insert it into the objective barrel. Will not be exactly perpendicular to the optical axis, but nevertheless.
What do you think? will it work or will there be artifacts?
One of these sits just under the head where it attaches to the limb. Only problem is, while I can easily remove the polarizer from the field lens, I need to disassemble the scope to remove the analyzer disk. So I leave it in all the time. I get good phase contrast with the polarizers in place and uncrossed. Just eats a little light but with a bright scope like the BX40, works just fine.
the stage rotates 200 deg as well, but has no angle reference. I’m doing photography, not chemical analysis, so that’s not a problem either.
Radazz
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
@Raddaz
Thanks a lot! so "my" idea might work. I would like it for fun, not analysis either. I have a spare 10X objective, inner diameter of about 15mm. To take it of I will just screw the objective out. Worth a try...
Thanks a lot! so "my" idea might work. I would like it for fun, not analysis either. I have a spare 10X objective, inner diameter of about 15mm. To take it of I will just screw the objective out. Worth a try...
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
There is a kit for Nikon, with a polarizer in a mount that sits on the field lens that comes with an analyzer in a little frame that hangs above the nose piece internally. The actual pol filter fits into a 23mm eyepiece if you pop it out. Easy to scratch it though. If you want to go that route for a monocular microscope, it would be easier to take off for high magnification work.
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
Thanks Radazz.
Here is a first attempt - a crumpled piece of polarizer in side the 10x objective barrel and another piece from the same $10 sheet on the field aperture. The sample is sand. The eyeview was superb - my photography is not, my apology.
Poor man's Pol?
Here is a first attempt - a crumpled piece of polarizer in side the 10x objective barrel and another piece from the same $10 sheet on the field aperture. The sample is sand. The eyeview was superb - my photography is not, my apology.
Poor man's Pol?
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- Poor mans Pol 10x.jpg (249.67 KiB) Viewed 8958 times
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
KurtM wrote:Now that's cool! I've been eyeballing polarizing microscopes for years but have yet to snag one (because?) I really don't know much about 'em. So yes, there is interest in this thread, please do keep posting your adventures with it. Love the images.
I was able to get one like this for less than $200... it works great..
BillT
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- Unitron_MPS.JPG (64.88 KiB) Viewed 8934 times
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
Any man’s Pol, I’d say. Nice shot!Hobbyst46 wrote:Thanks Radazz.
Here is a first attempt - a crumpled piece of polarizer in side the 10x objective barrel and another piece from the same $10 sheet on the field aperture. The sample is sand. The eyeview was superb - my photography is not, my apology.
Poor man's Pol?
Are you using a cell phone?
This is exactly how I got started with Pol, and darkfield and Reinberg and GUF, “I wonder if I can...”
Having instant access to the sum total of human knowledge helps a lot.
Radazz
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
I was able to get one like this for less than $200... it works great..
BillT[/quote]
Beautiful scope, BillT, excellent find!
BillT[/quote]
Beautiful scope, BillT, excellent find!
Arnold, Missouri
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Olympus IX70
Olympus BX40
Olympus SZ40
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
Thanks Radazz, Any man's Pol sounds better indeed. Not a cell phone, I am using afocal Canon EOS mirrorless camera, but am trying to improve myRadazz wrote:Any man’s Pol, I’d say. Nice shot!
Are you using a cell phone?
photography.
Re: 1902 Polarizing microscope
I am sorry!.. I posted the wrong photo.. I noticed this unit has a turret.. The one I have does not... Here is the correct one...
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- UNITRON.JPG (59.53 KiB) Viewed 8840 times