Leitz Wetzlar Black Enamel Ortholux I pol Trinocular Microscope + pol Ultropak
This is an excellent example of the outstanding Leitz Ortholux (first version) in black enamel. This is a Leitz POL with polarising trinocular head (it has the rotating analyser in the head), as well as (I think) a Bertrand lens in the head. The serial number suggests that this microscope was made in 1967 / 68. It has a polarising stage, allowing the subject to rotate 360 degrees with graduations, and a knob to stop its motion.
It has a polarising condenser for transmitted light. This has a built in field aperture, for Koehler illumination setup.
It has a matching black Leitz 6v power supply and lamp. The microscope also has a separate Pol Ultropak for reflected light, however I don't have the lamp for the upper light port. It has an additional spare black lamphaus (missing its lens focus and clamp knob). The black stand is in outstanding condition with no scratches or marks.
It is in particularly good condition for nearly 60 years old. The coarse and fine focus knobs work very well. The coarse is a bit stiffer than the fine, but works very well and is not overly stiff. The light path in the stand is clear, the mirror is clean (apart from a bit of dust), the swing in lens is clear (again, a bit of dust) etc. The trinocular head is in excellent condition, again, very clean, and mark free. The pol analyser built in to the head can be swung in or out of the light path. When in the light path, the analyser can be rotated with a ring around the body of the head. The head has a swing in Bertrand lens which swings in and out with no problem, however I think the focus wire for the Bertrand lens is missing or broken, it can not be focussed (that I can see). The polarising head works perfectly well apart from that small issue. The head is fitted with an excellent pair of Periplan GF 10x eyepieces.The transmitted light nosepiece has space for 5 x 170mm RMS objective lenses. It works well and smoothly, and is in excellent condition. The included objectives are a Zeiss 2.5x Plan 0.08NA, and a Leitz PL Fl 10x 0.3NA. The Leitz objective has a small scratch in the rear lens element, but I cannot see any effect that this has on the observed image. The infinity tube length Ultropak (reflected light nosepiece) is supplied with a 20x NPl 20x P (Polarising) objective.
The Ultropak and objective are in excellent condition, and seem to work fine (all moving parts are smooth). I do not have a lamp for the upper light path, so cannot test it properly, however the inclusion of the Ultropak makes this an extremely versatile microscope. It is much more functional than a regular Ortholux I. The Leitz polarising stage moves precisely, smoothly and without any problems. It is clean and mark free. The microscope has a Leitz Berek pol condenser. It is necessary to have a condenser that has a field diaphragm with a microscope like this in order to be able to achieve Koehler illumination as the stand does not have a field diaphragm. The condenser polariser can be locked in place with a thumbscrew, leaving the diaphragm to rotate. The pol head and condenser mean that both the polariser and the analyser can be rotated. The included Leitz power supply is in good condition. It is again, a nearly 60 year old electrical device, so it probably needs to be checked over by an electrician. It works well and provides ample power for the lamp. The power supply knob is broken on one side. It also works perfectly well, but is not a complete knob, see pictures.The bulbs by themselves are quite expensive. I have attached my Sony A7Riv camera to this microscope and taken some pictures of a spider, a flea, a polarised crystal, and a Stellate Trichome (I think) as included images.. The microscope is a fantastic photographic stand for a camera (in my case, a full frame digital camera). However neither my camera adapter, nor my camera that you will see in the included video are part of this sale : You will need an adapter to mount a camera to I can advise on that if necessary. It is quite straight forward.
I know that a regular Leitz Ortholux 1 is much sought after, and quite valuable. With the optional polarising Ultropak, the polarising head, the polarising stage (and Leitz removable callipers), and the polarising condenser, this microscope is particularly well equipped and versatile, able to do polarised and brightfield, as well as transmitted and reflected light (with a lamp for the upper port). I could break it up and sell the bits for greater than the sum of its parts, however I would like to keep it all together. You're also welcome to collect in person from Molesey in Surrey (near the M3 / M25 / A3).