The College Museum Collection
The Culpeper Microscope
Donated by
Dr Arthur Watts December 1954
The 18th century was a time of several mechanical improvements
to the microscope, increasing stability, facilitating smooth focus,
and other ease of use issues. This was also the century that the
telescope, the microscope's slightly older brother, improved
optically with the discovery of achromatic lenses. The microscope,
unfortunately, did not benefit significantly from that discovery
during this century.
Edmund Culpeper is credited with creating the “Culpeper-type”
microscope in 1725 and popularising two important elements in
microscope design: reverting to the original three-legged
microscope, but mounted on a stage raised above table level. A
concave mirror inserted below the stage, enabling a specimen to be
conveniently lit from below.
Little is know about Edmund Culpeper, who was active between
1670 and 1738. He took over a Walter Hayes's scientific instrument
business in 1685, after Hayes's death, and he stayed in business
until 1738.
Culpeper's instruments represented regression in microscope
design; departing from the pillar-style microscopes developed by
Hooke and Marshall, the tripod design of Culpeper reverted to a
styles made popular in the1690’s by Campani. The microscope
could not be inclined, making it uncomfortable to use, and the
split support legs aggravated access to the stage and made sample
positioning difficult. The focusing mechanism was crude being made
of cardboard which was very susceptible to changes in the weather.
They were, however, very cheap and easy to construct making them
popular as gentlemen’s playthings.
The College’s microscope is covered in shagreen which is made
from a shark’s belly and came in a pyramid-shaped oak case which
had a trade card in it signed by Culpeper himself.
It also came with a “fish plate” attachment to enable people
to see blood corpuscles coursing through a frog’s foot.
Museum
Collection
History, Heritage and Archives