Until Charles A. Spencer began making microscopes in Canastota, New York, in 1838, the only high-quality scientific instruments available in the United States were imported from Europe. This brass monocular microscope, equipped with a mirror to reflect light through the slide, could be used with either a compound or a simple lens.
Spencer Microscope
By Rachel Cooper, About.com Guide
Spencer Microscope, around 1849 - 1859
Photo courtesy of the National Museum of American HistoryPrev Next
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