Vintage Spencer Jug Handle - How to determine model?

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Tom Graham
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Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2022 1:43 am

Vintage Spencer Jug Handle - How to determine model?

#1 Post by Tom Graham » Sun Dec 11, 2022 12:31 am

Good evening. I am new to the forum and this is my first post — and microscope.

How do I determine the model number of this vintage Spencer?

As you can see from the image, it is a black (not brass) Spencer “jug handle” microscope. It is stamped on the base as "Spencer Lens Co, Buffalo, N.Y., 19898,” the serial number dating it to circa 1909-1913.
It has its original case and there are two eyepieces and three objective lenses: a 10x (16mm), 44x (4mm), and 95x (1.8mm) with black canisters for each.


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apochronaut
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Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am

Re: Vintage Spencer Jug Handle - How to determine model?

#2 Post by apochronaut » Tue Dec 13, 2022 12:33 am

It seems to be a model # 36, listed in 1917 as being a popular general purpose microscope for physicians and for general medical work. Any catalogues of the era, I have looked at refer to the plated parts as being of yellow plating. Bras on brass and then lacquered, yet I own one objective from each of Spencer and Bausch & Lomb that have a bright non-tarnishable silver coloured plating. Your microscope has a similar plating to all the plated parts, visible in the picture at least.
This is a bit of a conundrum because chromium plating didn't really arrive on the scene commercially until the early 20's plus, why did such a silver plating exist pre-war and then disappear?
I suspect it was a special purpose plating, possibly palladium which had basically no commercial use at the time. It may have become "useful" during the first world war and thus too expensive to continue to use. I have other 19th century objectives with bright silver plated or solid components : certainly not chrome and too untarnishable to be nickel.

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