Culpeper-type microscope; c. 1800.

Culpeper-type microscope; c. 1800.
Brass, leather, and mica.
It has four objectives and specimens.
With a label reading “Dobson Museum Square, Keswick.”
It retains its original mahogany case.
Measurements: 32 x 12 x 1 cm (case).
This microscope follows the model conceived by Edmund Culpeper around 1725, whose ingenious design became widely used during the 18th and early 19th centuries. Its design is notable for its elegant double-tripod structure made of brass, which supports both the optical body and the circular stage. At the bottom, an adjustable mirror allowed light to be directed toward the specimen, making it possible to observe small specimens. The mahogany base includes a compartment for storing various accessories, including objectives, focusing rings, and slides designed for bone or ivory specimens. The set is completed by its characteristic pyramidal mahogany case, designed to store and transport the instrument.
Edmund Culpeper (c. 1660–1738) was a renowned English manufacturer of scientific instruments, particularly famous for his microscopes.