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Scientific Instruments, Specimens, Books and Collectables

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Rare Microscope Slide by Harry Webb – Transverse Section of Mistletoe – c1860

Harry Webb (1816-1866) was a professional mounter who lived in George Street, Balsall Heath, Birmingham England. His initials are embedded in the custom-made decorative slide papers.

A nice transverse section of the mistletoe stem.

There is a brief reference to Harry Webb in the key work by Brian Bracegirdle – Microscopical Mounts and Mounters (page 100) and an unattributed example (Page 39-P). we have this information from a later reviewer who knows their stuff – but we struggle to agree that the example shown in the book is from HW.

Webb’s work featured in several international shows and he is thought to have been awarded at least one prize. He was recommended by top line microscope makers. Unfortunately, something went very wrong and he took his life drinking phenol – which would not be a nice way to go.

Rare maker with definitive slide papers – 165 years old!

$40.00

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Observer’s Book of Geology – I.O. Evans

A 1968 edition of this manual in geology which serves as a great introduction for all players not just young ones.

The celebrated series is now an area for collectors. There is an Australian based equivalent of which we normally have a copy [take a look] … this edition whilst general is based around UK geology.

Published by Warne etc., London. Pocket sized, hardback, good jacket, 272 pages, illustrated throughout in black and white and some very nice colour illustrations, particularly the mineral examples. A very good copy.

Welshman, Evans was fellow of the Royal Geological Society where they know their rocks.

Geological work of surprising substance

$20.00

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Erect-Crested Penguin – Lance Richdale – 1950

This is an offprint from the “The Emu” the then official organ of the Royal Australasian Ornithologist’s Union.

The point of this item is that since 1940 the population of this species of Penguin has been in decline and is now categorised as endangered. They nest on the Bounty and Antipodes Islands. Previously on the Auckland, Campbell etc Islands and the Otago Peninsula but no longer. At the time of writing the report Richdale was probably observing the last Otago nesters …

Typical offprint faded card covers, 18 pages with quite a few images from photographs of the beautifully crested penguins. Maybe there are some clues in here as to what will soon lead to further reductions in breeding.

Lance Richdale was a big individual in the bird world – he was a Fulbright Fellow at Cornell and a Nuffield Fellow in his field – later in life he spent time at the Zoological Society in London. Author of the Sexual Behavior of Penguins.

Erect-Crested doing it tough in the far reaches of the Southern Ocean.

$20.00

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Huxley – Evolution’s High Priest – Adrian Desmond.

Author Adrian Desmond a distinguished scientist, University College London and the font of knowledge on the history of the forming and influence of the evolutionary theory. Written several books on the subject and its main promoters …. Darwin, Huxley et al. This monument about Huxley’s later years … and exhaustive biography drawn on, but not only on, five thousand manuscript letters [seems a lot].

Published by Michael Joseph, London in 1997. Thick octavo, 370 pages, illustrated – some great period images – a very good copy.

Thomas H Huxley – more that someone’s bulldog …

PS – Does anyone agree that Michael Palin would make a good Huxley?

$35.00

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Botryoidal Goethite – Yaraka Queensland

The mineral Goethite or iron oxy-hydroxide here in a nice botryoidal (resembling grapes) crystal form.

Found in the Yaraka Boulder Opal Field 100km east of Blackhall, Queensland. Last count remote Yaraka had an official population of 20 – they all get along.

Small fist sized weighing 350 gm.

Good lustre to the botryoidal form

$35.00

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French Miniature Furnace Microscope – c1850-60

Scarce miniature Mineral or Furnace Microscope attributed to Bertrand, Paris in the Billings Collection pages 37 and 193. The Billings example no 369 on page 193 is identical even down to the circle made on the outer case from running the closing catch around.

Beautifully made, the original mahogany box has a conical dove tail slide cut into its top into which the instrument sits. The brass base screws to the tune stand. There is a square cut in the front that houses a single mirror on a milled head pivot. The stand is cut away for the fixed circular stage. At the top of the stand there is a screw in cylinder into which the body tube slides. There is an outer casing which slides downward to become a slide holder. The objective and ocular screw in.

This is a collector’s item – it is probably one of the smallest practical microscopes ever made, is extremely well made and in as perfect a condition one could expect for its age. The case is undamaged with a great patina.

Case dimensions approximately 85mm x 45mm x 35mm. Microscope height 75mm base diameter 25mm.

Perfect collectable miniature microscope – over 150 years old.
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$260.00

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