Microscope Museum

Collection of antique microscopes and other scientific instruments

 

    

Microscope 195 (R & J Beck; compound microscope; c. 1878)

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R & J Beck occupy an especially important place in the history of the British microscope manufacturing with its beginning established in London, by Richard Beck (1827 - 1866) in association with James Smith (1800 – 1873), and later to be joined by his brother Joseph Beck. Richard and Joseph Beck were nephews of Joseph Jackson Lister, who was a respected British optician and physicist who experimented with achromatic lenses and perfected an optical microscope. In commissioning the manufacture of his improved microscope, Lister worked with James Smith, an employee of the instrument-making firm of William Tulley, to create the stand. James Smith went on to establish his own optical instruments workshop in 1837. Through this relationship, Lister arranged for his nephew, Richard Beck to be an apprentice under Smith in 1843. In 1847, James Smith entered into partnership with Richard Beck, and the company was re-named Smith & Beck. In 1854, the company was renamed to Smith, Beck and Beck, as Richard Beck's brother Joseph Beck joined the company in 1851. James Smith retired in 1865 and the company became R & J Beck and this name lasted for long time. In 1866, Richard Beck died at an early age of 39, and Joseph Beck carried on the business. In 1895 the company became a limited partnership (R & J Beck Ltd). By 1968, the company was a subsidiary of the Ealing Corporation of USA. In 2019, Beck Optronic Solutions Ltd is a descendent of the former R & J Beck Ltd. Microscope 195 is labelled with ‘R&J Beck, London’ and has the serial number 7579, being dated to c. 1878. This is known as the Beck’s economic microscope model, which was in production from the late 1970s to at least 1894. This instrument was sold in a simpler sliding coarse focus version or with rack and pinion coarse focus (like this microscope). Both Economic models could be supplied with a tripod foot or the horseshoe style foot (Figure 1). They could also be supplied with all lacquered brass finish, or with oxidized brass finish. The microscope came with its original wooden box. At some point in history, a former owner of this microscope cut the mirror arm and extended this arm with a brass hand-made adaptor.

 

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Figure 1. Beck’s Economic microscope model with a tripod foot (left; Beck’s catalogue from 1882) and a horseshoe foot (Right; James Queen’s catalogue from 1879)

 

References

James Smith, 1800 – 1873 (http://microscopist.net/SmithJ.html), last accessed on 12.08.2020

R. and J. Beck (https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/R._and_J._Beck), last accessed on 12.08.2020

R & J Beck Microscope (https://exhibits.uncc.edu/s/Microscopes/item/2702#?c=&m=&s=&cv=&xywh=-426%2C-1%2C3413%2C3285), last accessed on 09.07.2021

R. & J. BECK MICROSCOPE (https://www.microscope-antiques.com/beckeco.html), last accessed on 09.07.2021

R. & J. BECK MICROSCOPE (https://www.microscope-antiques.com/beckeco2.html), last accessed on 09.07.2021

 

 

LAST EDITED: 25.07.2021