The Black Photomicroscope from Zeiss

[Seaborg]

Hi,

here some pictures of a more than rare microscope from Zeiss (about 1957). It's the mother of all photomicroscopes and my "blue mauritius"
It took more than a year, to find all the equippement for it with it's special mounts ("Tauchschwalbe")
This black beauty is one of only four, that are identified, at least in the german forum. It came from a german university (Cologne) pathology and was in a
good state. Luckily for me, the seller didn't know at all, what he was selling to me !
The last of the photos shows the main black series of Zeiss: Junior, GFL, WL, Black Phomi in a row.

















The last picture is a replica of a picture from this interesting publication about the Zeiss microscopes of the early fifties. (unfortunately in german)
https://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... DdQSXicwEE


I hope you will enjoy it.
Reinhard

[75RR]

Beautiful microscope in beautiful condition ... thanks for showing it.

Had not realized that the last image, which I have seen and indeed have a copy of, was yours. Thanks for that one as well!

[Wes]

Wow, what a beautiful microscope ! Surely the pinnacle of style, with its black finish and rounded curves.

And so well preserved... you're a lucky guy Reinhard!

Thank you very much for sharing your black Phomi with us.

Wes

[MicroBob]

Hi Reinhard,
your black Phomi is really a joyful sight - this incredible craftmanship in immaculate condition and perfectly photographed - just amazing!
This microscope readly radiates pure quality and the promis of money well spent. It would be nice to know why they changed to the black/hammerite design. The first metallic paints in Germany came to market in 1956? A Mercedes and a Kreidler 50cc bike were the first products to be painted with it. So maype pure black was just starting to become old fashioned ( a fashion wave that has yet to reach me ).
I recently came to a Phomi 1, second edition, in very good condition that has since become my main microscope. It is one of the few instruments were the paint is not worn down were the hands contact the base: viewtopic.php?f=28&t=8157
Difficult to say how the design change might have affected sales at this point of time. It is for sure a different look, no question. The GFL and Junior were sold in black for quite a few more years.

Bob

[75RR]

Difficult to say how the design change might have affected sales at this point of time. It is for sure a different look, no question. The GFL and Junior were sold in black for quite a few more years.

Have to agree that aesthetically it was not the right call.

[MicroBob]

Hi together,
I think the huge success of the Phomi came from the simplicity and dependability with which it was able to make micro photographs - even in the hand of less experienced persons. They sold 55000 Phomis over 3 decades which is in sum an astonishing amount of money. I can imagine that the bi-colour scheme made the instrument look less stern and intimidating - in the eyes of a mid 1950s person. Today one would expect hammerite more on a machinists vise than on a microscope. I don't know what the main competitor, Leitz, offered at this point of time. They had the Ortholux and much later (1969 ???) the Orthoplan, which was still black for the first few years.
I use and own few non-black microscopes, but I actually like the colour scheme of my Phomi a lot. The generally lighter colour makes this wardrobe of a microscope even look smaller!

Bob

[MichaelG.]

Hi,
here some pictures of a more than rare microscope from Zeiss (about 1957). It's the mother of all photomicroscopes and my "blue mauritius"
[…]
I hope you will enjoy it.
Reinhard

What an absolute delight

Thank You !!

MichaelG.

[Microworldofgems]

That black photomicroscope is just beautiful! Very nice scope!