Brass Compound Microscope in Case Ernst Leitz Dated 1897 This rare late 19th-century compound microscope was crafted by the renowned optical firm Ernst Leitz GmbH of Wetzlar, Germany. An exceptional example of precision German engineering, the instrument bears serial number 42499, dating it to circa 1897. It displays a finely machined brass body with a revolving nosepiece and three original Leitz objectives. The tool stands on its intricately carved wooden base, which includes a drawer for glass slides and an accessory drawer containing additional Leitz Wetzlar components including extra objectives, condensers and adjustment knobs used for imaging and illumination functions. This historical Leitz microscope offers a comprehensive range of magnifications, with the 3mm objective providing 60x or 80x magnification, the 6mm objective delivering 25x or 35x, the 8mm objective achieving 40x or 35x and the oil immersion 1/12 objective reaching impressive magnifications of 535x to 800x, depending on the optical system configuration. Founded by Carl Kellner in 1849 as the Optisches Institut in Wetzlar, Germany, the company was later taken over by Ernst Leitz I in 1869 and renamed Ernst Leitz GmbH. Under his leadership, the firm became one of the world’s foremost producers of microscopes by the turn of the 20th century. Leitz introduced serial production and collaborated closely with pioneering scientists such as Robert Koch and Paul Ehrlich, helping to shape the tools of modern biomedical research. By 1899, Leitz had produced over 50,000 microscopes. Their polarizing and petrographic models were in high demand for use in mineralogy, pathology and industrial applications. The instruments remain renowned for their optical clarity and mechanical ingenuity. The same optical expertise evident in this microscope would later make Ernst Leitz one of the most important camera manufacturers in the world. In 1924, the company launched the legendary Leica camera, revolutionizing photography with the same precision engineering principles demonstrated in their scientific instruments. Inscribed "E. Leitz Wetzlar" with the serial number 42499 On base: 22 1/2" high x 11 1/2" wide x 8 1/2" deep
