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Microscope Museum Collection of antique microscopes and other
scientific instruments |
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Microscope
117 (Vickers;
Patholette II microscope; 1970s)
The scientific instrument maker T. Cooke & Sons (1837 – 1922) was
founded by Thomas Cooke in York in 1837. Thomas Cooke built his own factory
on Bishophill, York, in 1855, producing a great range of spectacles,
telescopes and other items. By the turn of the century defence products for
the home market had also become an important field of the company. In 1915
the control of Cooke's was acquired by Vickers Ltd., an engineering firm of
shipbuilding and aircraft, who had long had an interest in the military side
of Cooke products. Cooke’s continued to expand in York and in 1922 they
merged with the long-established instrument-making firm of Troughton &
Simms of London (1824-1922). The new firm became Cooke, Troughton & Simms
and in 1924 it became a wholly owned subsidiary of Vickers. After the war
microscopes, survey equipment and engineers' measuring instruments became the
main products. In 1963, following the acquisition of the C. Baker Ltd
microscope factory, the new company of Vickers Instruments was formed. This
company continued for many years, mainly selling microscopes, surveying
instruments and micro measurement apparatus. In 1989 the business was sold to
Bio-Rad Micromeasurements, an American company based in California, apart
from the defence products, which were acquired by British Aerospace.
Microscope 117 is a Vickers Patholette II model dated from the 1970s (Figure
1). In its days this was probably the microscope of choice for education and
schools and there are many used examples. The microscope came with its
original purple plastic 'dome' cover (which are rarely seen today as these
tended to be easily broken).
Figure 1.
Vickers Patholette II microscope as featured in a 1968 Townson & Mercer’s
catalogue References The Vickers
Patholette Microscope (http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artdec01/vickers.html), last accessed on
21.08.2020 Vickers Instruments (https://www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/holdings/what-we-hold/businesses/vickers-instruments/), last accessed on
21.08.2020 |
