Antique W. Watson & Sons Ltd Standard Mk. 1 Microscope in Brass c1914, Cased

This listing is for a very well presented antique original Standard Mk. 1 model microscope by W. Watson & Sons Limited of London. It dates from 1914 based on the sequential Watson production number of 17682, which is engraved onto the rear of the y-shaped foot.

This model pre-dates the introduction of Watson's popular Service model, essentially filling the same function and being a robust capable mid/large size of instrument suitable for private, professional and research work. In the Watson 1912-13 product catalogue the Standard Mk. 1 is described as A microscope of solid proportions with a substantial rigid foot..... Suitable for entymology with a high working distance between nosepiece and stage and use of large sections with low powers...... Large diameter body tube suitable for photography...

1 was considered to be a very capable instrument in its day with a design suited to low-power applications, it's also only very slightly smaller than the Edinburgh-H model (see final listing photo) and almost as suitable for most lower magnification work. This specific example was originally retailed in 1914 by Watson's agents in Glasgow who were W.

Scott & Co of 180 Sauchiehall Street and their details are still present on the instrument's foot - it would therefore be nice if the instrument could go to a Scottish collector and/or remain in Scotland. This pre-WWI example is quite rare and therefore an interesting proposition for the Watson collector because it's in all-original condition and has obviously been pretty well looked after by its former custodians. This instrument also benefits from a very nice set of Watson "top-hat" style eyepieces and an after-market period mechanical over-stage in brass. It presents really well with some amazing gleaming brass-work and just the right amount of patination and wear/chipping to the paintwork sufficient to tell us its usage story of the last 107 years.

The lacquered brass details including its main tube and thumb-wheels are essentially only showing a few signs of age-related tarnishing and spotting mainly on the thumb-wheels where you'd expect and this is very much in keeping with its period, only adding to the instrument's character. The brass-work really catches the light well and glints with a lovely warm yellow/golden colour. This model is essentially an excellent British optical instrument built from quality materials, with very solid construction, great design and skilled workmanship and in this period hand-finishing in order to produce an instrument of this quality. This is therefore a very sturdy, heavy and good quality microscope in original condition, fully working, with just the right signs of age for a brass example of the immediate post-Edwardian period. On the technical side both coarse and fine focus move nice and freely with little wear evident.

Coarse focus is via rack and pinion, with fine focus via a vernier screw system that moves a small internal cam, giving minute adjustment of the main optical tube. It's also interesting to note the over-sized fine focus thumb-wheel intended to make it much easier to make very very fine adjustments to the fine focus control. The upper frame also tilts to allow inclined viewing, holding in position as it should. Turning to the optics, we have a period graduated brass eyepiece draw-tube and some superb antique Watson top-hat style eyepieces that with good illumination produce excellent images.

10x magnification - Holos by Watson with intergral draw-tube - 14x magnification - Holos by Watson with intergral draw-tube. There is a double turret, which rotates freely with objectives as follows. 32mm - R & J Beck - 4x low-power. 1 inch - Watson Parachromatic - 5x low power - 2/3rds inch - Watson Parachromatic - 10x. (the Watson lenses are also supplied with period brass lens canisters).

Note: Owing to the high working distance with this instrument, the Watson objectives noted above will require a 15mm parfocal extender in order to achieve focus and this component is currently on order and will be positioned between the main optical tube and the double nosepiece - in order to reduce the working distance. Overall, the range of magnification currently available ranges from 20x to about 140x and of course subject to working distance constraints higher power lenses can always be added at a later stage, as required. With the top-hat style eyepieces the images available are nice and bright and the instrument's optics are a delight to use.

The period mechanical over-stage in brass is by C. Baker securing to the Watson notched-out ebonite stage with a single thumb-screw. The over-stage works very well holding slides steady under inclined viewing conditions and when the x/y axes are being moved around. Turning to the sub-stage we have an Abbe-style condenser again by C.

Baker in a height adjustable mount with centering via two small brass thumb-screws. Height adjustment is via a rack and pinion system with single right-sided thumb-wheel control. The condenser assembly also swings out to allow easy maintenance or changing of the condenser. There's a working iris to control lighting levels and lighting is via a 2 inch plano-concave mirror which is in good functional condition on a chromed support arm with slider for height adjustment and rotating gimbal.

All controls operate reasonably smoothly including coarse focus, fine-focus, eyepiece draw-tube, mechanical over-stage, condenser and plano-concave mirror. The instrument has been lightly lubricated with no obvious maintenance issues evident. This is an impressive visual and a capable working example of an antique Watson Standard Mk. 1 model in the sought-after brass finish making it quite an interesting proposition for a collector. It's in highly original condition with a comprehensive specification including some very nice period additions and it's essentially quite a desirable example. Please note that there is also a correct Watson period storage case with this example - the case has internal lens racks, brass/wooden carry handle, cupboard latch to keep the door closed and just the right surface finish and nice period sheen. Thanks for looking - please also check out my other listings if you get a chance.

Watson & Sons Ltd Standard Mk. 1 Microscope in Brass c1914, Cased" is in sale since Wednesday, December 8, 2021. This item is in the category "Antiques\Science/Medicine\Scientific Instruments". The seller is "arcboutant" and is located in Glasgow.

This item can be shipped to United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Australia, United States, Bahrain, Canada, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, China, Israel, Hong Kong, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Bolivia, Barbados, Brunei darussalam, Cayman islands, Ecuador, Egypt, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, French guiana, Iceland, Jersey, Jordan, Cambodia, Liechtenstein, Sri lanka, Macao, Monaco, Maldives, Martinique, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Paraguay, Reunion, Saudi arabia, South africa, United arab emirates, Ukraine, Chile, Bahamas, Colombia, Costa rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Kuwait, Panama, Philippines, Qatar, Trinidad and tobago, Uruguay, Viet nam, Russian federation.

Period: 1901 to 1950
Antique: Yes
Material: Brass
Type: Microscope