MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Hello Folks -- New to this forum, but after the past hour or so perusing the many posts, it sure looks like there is lots of knowledge, experieince, and neat microscopes among you.

I've been bitten by the collecting bug and now have a number of 1960s black stands, and some 19th century brass ones.

One question to start (I'm sure I'll have more later): I now have some "live boxes", brass devices with a 1 x 3" brass base and a cylindrical bit in the centre. They either have no glass at all, or just one circular piece of glass. But to trap or hold critters, shouldn't there be two pieces of glass? How were these supposed to work?

Thanks.

Welcome, miche

Regarding the 'Live Box' ... have a look at Fig. 14 on this page:
http://microscopist.net/GardinerJB.html

Then, download Carpenter's book:
https://archive.org/details/microscopeitsrev1875carp

If the device has 'holding down' facility, it is often known as a 'Compressarium'
... A google search should bring-up many examples.

Some photographs of yours would be interesting to see.

MichaelG.
.
Edit: Here is a nice overview: http://www.microscope-antiques.com/liveboxes.html

Welcome miche, sounds like you have the same condition I have. I started with one a few months ago and now have 4.

Welcome Miche.

Thanks for the welcomes.

Re MichaelG, please see the attached photo of my live boxes.

The url's were very helpful. My conclusion is that the second glass disk in each live box was intended to be very thin, like a cover glass, so they were very fragile and have not survived the ravages of time. So if I wanted to use one in its original role, where would I find glass disks with a correct diameter?

(Not sure I've successfully uploaded the photo...)

Best -- Miche

Welcome to the forum, Miche.

Yours does sound like compressarium.

Many lab supply companies offer various round cover slip diameters, such as 5, 8, 12, 15, 18, 20, 22, 25mm:

https://www.thomassci.com/scientific-su ... over-Glass

https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products ... /p-4908624

Google "round cover slip diameter" and you will likely find more.

miche wrote:please see the attached photo of my live boxes.

(Not sure I've successfully uploaded the photo...)

Regrettably not, miche ... but I look forward to seeing your collection.

Although I don't own any, I have always found them fascinating: They seem to have inspired great ingenuity in their many makers.
< Build a better MouseTrap comes to mind >

... Meanwhile, I will share another link:
https://worldwide.espacenet.com/publica ... cale=en_EP
This is the device referenced on the 'microscope-antiques' page as being the most modern.

MichaelG.