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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 |
