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• Auction House:
  Webb's
• Sale Name:
  The C.L. Thomas Collection
• Sale Date:
  21 Mar 2012 ~ 12noon
• Lot #:
  364
• Lot Description:
  Lacquered brass dissecting microscope sent by renowned British botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker to William Colenso.
  London : Ross, c1880s. Housed in brown leather-covered and purple velvet-lined wooden case measuring 125 x 130 x 160mm. The instrument consists of a pillar fixed to a circular base. To the upper part of the pillar is attached a large flat stage, provided with a clip for securing slides and other objects. By means of a knob, a bar is raised out of the pillar to a maximum height of about 200mm. This bar carries a lens holder having a horizontal movement, by means of a rack and pinion, and turning on a circular pin. A concave mirror is included, for reflecting light through the large hole in the stage, together with a pair of forceps, for holding small objects. There are five lenses. Engraved on upper side of base: 'Ross, 5171. London.' Initials scratched on underside of base: 'WC'. Provenance: originally from the collection of Henry Hill. From youth Colenso had been fascinated by natural history. In 1841, during the visits of the ships of Sir James Clark Ross's Antarctic Expedition, he made the acquaintance of Joseph Dalton Hooker, to whose father, Sir William Hooker, he had been sending botanical specimens. He accompanied J D Hooker on many botanical excursions and afterwards carried on a correspondence with him extending over 50 years. On 31 December 1884, Colenso wrote to Hooker, now Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, asking him to procure a microscope to 'investigate our Mosses & Hep[atica]' and enclosing a draft of £40 for the purpose. Hooker duly obliged and Colenso received this microscope in October 1885. A quick glance at the contents of the 'Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute' from 1885 to 1899, the year of Colenso's death, shows that he made numerous contributions after receiving the microscope. One is tempted to imagine that it reinvigorated him. In any case, it is an artefact of one of the most important relationships in the history of New Zealand science. Microscope VG. Case G.
• Provenance:
  Originally from the collection of Henry Hill.
• Estimate:
  NZ$5,000 - 5,000
• Realised Price:
  *****
  

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• Category:
  Scientific & Industrial

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.