Credit: ©The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.19927

    Culpeper microscope

    Date
    1768
    Creator
    Adam Wolfgang Winterschmidt (1733 - 1796, German) , Engraver
    After
    Martin Frobene Ledermuller (1719 - 1769, German) , Naturalist
    Object type
    Library reference
    48660
    Material
    Technique
    Dimensions
    height (print): 245mm
    width (print): 195mm
    Subject
    Physics
       > Optics
          > Microscopy
    Biology
       > Natural history
    Content object
    Description
    Two views of a Culpeper microscope, showing the sliding tray separately (above) and in-situ in the microscope, held in place by a spring (below).

    Inscribed above: ‘TAB: V.’
    Inscribed below: ‘M. F. Lererm: del. A. W. Winters: sc. et exc.’

    The accompanying text is headed: ‘Le microscope dit manuel de Wilson ou de Poche de Kulpeper’ [‘The so-called Wilson’s manual or Kulpeper’s pocket microscope’].

    The author provides a physical description of the microscope: ‘Cet instrument consiste en un tuiau cylindrique creux a) dans lequel on assermit au bout, ou est marquee l'etoile, la lentille grossissante. Vous voies une telle lentille b) dans son enchassiere…D'abord au dessous de la lentille est un ressort spiral de fil d'archal entortille’ [‘The instrument consists of a hollow cylindrical pipe a) in which the magnifying lens is sealed at the end, where the star is marked. You see such a lens b) in its frame….First below the lens is a spiral spring of twisted wire’].

    Plate 5 from Amusement microscopique, tant pour l'esprit que pour les yeux, contenant... estampes... d'apres nature...by Martin Frobene Ledermuller, plates volume (Adam Wolfgang Winterschmidt, Nuremburg, 1768).

    Martin Frobene [Frobenius] Ledermuller (1719-1769) German naturalist was employed in various capacities as a notary, turning to microscope studies after an illness induced temporary deafness.

    Edward Culpeper (1670-1737), a mathematical instrument maker based in London, developed the Culpeper microscope between 1725 and 1730.
    Associated place
    <The World>
       > Europe
          > Germany
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