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Microscope Museum Collection of antique microscopes and other
scientific instruments |
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Microscope
110
(Steindorff & Co; early 20th Century) The
mechanic Emil Steindorff started producing scientific instruments on
Reichenberger Straße, Berlin in 1879. In 1915, Otto and Emil Steindorff are
both owners of the company. Otto Steindorff was a mechanic as well. In 1925,
the company’s head office was located on Lindenstraße, Berlin. The firm was
named Steindorff & Co. Possibly, the future owner Julius Kaiser joined
the firm at that time. Two years later, the firm traded under the name
‘Optisch Mechanische Fabrik Steindorff & Co’. Since then, the firm’s head office was
located on Köpenicker Straße, Berlin. In 1951, a firm named ‘Steindorff of
America Inc’ was founded in the USA to distribute their microscopes in that
country. The company celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1954 with
80 staff members. The factory was then located at Paul-Lincke-Ufer, Berlin.
In the 1980’s, the firm was named ‘Optisch Mechanische Fabrik Steindorff
& Co GmbH’, and finally goes bankrupt in 1986. Microscope 110 is signed ‘Steindorff
& Co, Berlin’ and has the serial number 39299, being dated to the
early 20th Century. This microscope was described as a stand E
microscope for students in a firms’ catalogue from c. 1920 (Figure 1). The
instrument came with its original wooden case, which contains a plaque with
the name ‘Frederick Robson & Co, Manufacturing Opticians, 46 Dean
Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne’, probably the original retailer of this
instrument in the UK. Frederick Robson & Co was established on Dean
Street in 1867. Originally, the work mainly involved the manufacture of
measuring equipment such as slide rules and barometers. Since 1919, the firm
has been located on Pilgrim Street, where it still trades as opticians. The
wooden case contains also a name (J. E. Francis), who was probably the owner
of the instrument. Figure
1.
Steindorff microscope, stand E, as pictured in a firms’ catalogue from c.
1920. References History
of manufacture in Berlin – microscopes throughout the world, STEINDORFF &
CO (http://steindorff-berlin.de/Steindorff/steindorff.html),
last accessed on 14.08.2020 Between
Glamour and Glory: the Steindorff "Microbe Hunter" (http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artdec08/mm-mdc-steindorff.html),
last accessed on 14.08.2020 LAST
EDITED: 22.08.2020 |