Vintage Zeiss Jena microscope lens

[dunk]

Saw this on Ebay today and it sold for quite a large sum ... does anyone know if it something special?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=300302904711

Cheers

dunk

[Brian]

It looks "Very, VERY, OLD". Someone knew what it was, and wanted it.

My optics lab has some very old stuff dating to the 30s. We have an Engineer that started working there in 1943.

This is much older than anything I've seen there, must be 19th Centrury?

[Contarama]

I know this is a camera forum dedicated to Zeiss cameras but I know you all are into optics in a big way particulary of the Zeiss kind...so when I found this thread I couldn't help revive it so you all could enjoy a little Zeiss Jena scope eye candy...

What you see is basically a 30's era Medium Routine and Research Microscope designed especially for the examination of blood and other purposes...I aquired this off of Ebay it hails from Montefiore Hospital in PA one of the first hospitals in the world to use penicillin and other very early antibiotics (read big into bloodwork!)...it was apparently purchased from Eimer and Amend NYC...it is in decent condition and everything works good however it is in serious need of a thorough deep cleaning and polishing and probably needs to be lubed and whatnot (a CLA I guess). What is amazing about this unit is the sheer amount of goodies that came with the kit including a very nice leather covered oak locking case, 2 slide boxes that mount in the case, 4 subjectives and their cases, 4 sets of binocular objectives, 4 monocular objectives, 2 condensors, monocular tube, various other binocular objective devices, 3 filters, a complete scope tool kit, Eimer and Amend plated electric light source, and a dissecting kit (I added that later). I am slowly but surely working on it with toothbrushes, paintbrushes, brass wool, and fine linen lens cloths...someday I will have it spit shine and I might even attempt to rebuild the case in mahogony.

And just so no one thinks I am a total Zeiss purist mechanical only no digital freak these images were taken with a Sony P&S (with a Zeiss lens ;) ) :eek:

http://www.oklahomawildbunch.com/teach/Zeiss Jena Monocular-Binocular Scope.JPG
http://www.oklahomawildbunch.com/teach/Various Lenses.JPG
http://www.oklahomawildbunch.com/teach/Slides and other stuff.JPG

And this is a pic taken with the P&S put right up to the monocular tube...works rather well I am going to have to try this with the Contaflex one of these days...

http://www.oklahomawildbunch.com/teach/Silk Worm Larva.JPG

[Contarama]

I sure would like to have one of these rigs...

http://www.oklahomawildbunch.com/teach/Contax-Miflex.jpg

[Brian]

That is a beautiful microscope. Don't worry about "Zeiss Purist" around here, I'm a Nikon fanatic.

I work in a Research Lab that has been around for a long time. Came across a 1950's Auto_collimator about to be tossed. Neat piece of history.

Yours is much more practical. It should be fun restoring it.

What condition are the optics in?

[Contarama]

Thanks Brian

I sure would like to have an F2 and a 105mm...:D

I love this microscope not only for it's intrinsic qualities but perhaps more for it's history...it is a piece of likely Nazi made optical equipment that was probably used everyday for a long time at a very prestigious Jewish hospital in America to help people medically...much irony in that IMHO.

Brian I don't know a lot about optics really sir so I don't feel qualified to say however everything is in good functional order albeit most of it is dirty dirty...some of them I have fluffed on a bit on look very clear and in excellent optical shape and throw up good images....some of the more powerful subjectives exhibit the typical through the subject and slide abuse...the immersion subs look like someone forgot to clean them properly, etc....

I have two other scopes...parts scopes if you will...but this set makes them pale in comparison...

Look at the first pic and at the objectives in it...you should be able to discern how the top two have a different metal cast to them in the photo...those come from my other set...which I think is definate war time issue (I can expand on this if you like...it is the materials!!!)...the monocular/binocular is prewar I believe mid or late thirties...I wish I could locate a really good comprehensive database of serial numbers and dates for the Jena scopes...