Microscope Museum

Collection of antique microscopes and other scientific instruments

 

    

Microscope 110 (Steindorff & Co; early 20th Century)

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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.

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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