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Microscope Museum Collection of antique microscopes and other
scientific instruments |
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Microscope
404 (Carl Zeiss; stereo
microscope Technival; c. 1977) In 1846, Carl Zeiss opened a workshop for
precision mechanics and optical instruments in Jena. He focused his
activities more and more on microscope production. Soon he was supplying not
only the regional market but also shipping his wares around the world. In
1866, Carl Zeiss recruited the physicist Ernst Abbe to help him improve his
microscopes. In 1877, Ernst Abbe became a partner in the company. After the
passing of Carl Zeiss in 1889, Ernst Abbe created the Carl Zeiss Foundation,
which would become the company’s sole owner. Since the 1890s, Abbe’s findings
and his style of working have also been adopted in other fields of optics.
This led to the creation of all-new products, new business areas and rapid
growth for the company. In 1893, the first subsidiary was opened in London.
Before the outbreak of WWI, sites were established across the world, which
then had to be closed when war broke out. There were more ups and downs
between then and 1945. Thereafter, the sites outside Germany have been
developing in a stable manner and today, Carl Zeiss AG is a holding company
with several subsidiaries. In addition to its sites in Oberkochen and Jena,
its main production sites are in Wetzlar and Göttingen in Germany, Dublin and
Minneapolis in the US, and Shanghai in China. Microscope 404 is a stereo microscope,
model Technival, labelled with “CARL ZEISS, JENA”, “Made in the GDR”, and
should be dated to c. 1977 (the date in the manual accompanying this
microscope). Also included with this instrument is an illuminator and the
respective power supply unit. Note: this instrument was kindly
donated by Dave Levell (Pembrokeshire, Wales) in May 2023. |