Used Microscopes

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Microscopy Books

Almost a century ago,  the thing that every young person wanted was a microscope. Because of this, books about microscopes and specimen preparation were as plentiful then as books (and Youtube videos) are today about computers and the Internet. Sadly the interest in microscopy - particularly amongst young people has diminished. As a consequence the number microscopy books have also diminished. Fortunately because the Laws of Optical Physics and the methodology of specimen preparation has not changed much in a century, these classic books are now worth their ‘weight in gold’.  

The Microscopic Photographs of J B Dancer

John Benjamin Dancer was an optician who lived most of his life in Manchester. He was the inventor of microphotography. The Dancer microscopic photographs averaged 1/8” inch in diameter and were produced as a scientific novelty to be viewed through a microscope. This excellently presented book brings together for the first time a nearly complete representation of the Dancer 1873 collection with biographical information on each microscopic photograph. Written by Brian Bracegirdle and James McCormick. Hard backed with 280 pages and a hard backed sleeve. Condition excellent

Price £40.00

Quekett Club Journals

This is Series 4, volume 2, no’s 1-3 of the Journal of the Quekett Microscopical Club edited by H. Dennis. Published just after the end of the Second World War as life was struggling to come back to normal, volume 2 had only three numbers dated April 1945, February 1946 and April 1947. Obviously these show signs of their age but are all complete and intact. A collectors item.

Price £56.00

Quekett Club Journals

This is a complete Series 4, volume V, no’s 1-16 of the Journal of the Quekett Microscopical Club edited by H. A. Dade. Published during the period after the Second World War when life had returned to some sort of normality. The numbers date from 1958 through to 1961. Obviously these show signs of their age at the edges but are all complete and intact.  

Price £66.00

Scientific PhotoMACROgraphy

As the title suggests this is a book that is concerned with the photography of scientific specimens under low power magnification. Without doubt this is the challenging end of magnification and photography. Written by Bracegirdle the content is clear and precise. RMS series number 31. It deals with both transmitted and incident illumination. 105 pages with an index

Price £17.00

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RMS Dictionary of Light Microscopy

This is an excellent book compiled by the Nomenclature Committee of the Royal Microscopy Society. The clue is in the name - a wealth of information. RMS series number 15. 138 pages with an index.

Price £12.00

Light and Video Microscopy (3124)

An in depth account of all aspects of microscopy to a very high level. Certainly not suited to the relative beginner to microscopy. However if the physics of light formation and its relevancy to microscope images could add to your existing knowledge then this would be a very valuable book.

Hard backed with 288 pages and an index.

Price £18.00

Integrated Principles of Zoology (3129)

This is a book that is so complete about it subject matter and so large that it is difficult to understand how the authors managed to pull it together in their life time! Written by Hickman and Roberts it literally covers all of Zoology and the complex relationships therein. A monster of a book - hard backed with 1065 pages with glossary and index.

Price £26.00

The Revealing Lens (3131)

This book was written by Brian J Ford who is an authority on microscope publications designed to make the understanding of microscopy easily understood. He is now a ‘senior’ citizen of the microscopy world having been born in Wiltshire in 1939. Like all of his books this is  very revealing and takes us through the journey of what microscopes have been able to tell us over time. Hard backed with its original dust cover it has 208 pages with an index and many photographs.   

Price £10.00

Illustrated Dictionary of Natural History (3132)

The name of the book tells you everything. Whatever you need to know about natural history its in here. Written by Lincoln and Boxshall it is difficult to imagine how on earth they gathered together all this information. That apart, there are over 10 thousand entries with many having illustrations. A soft backed volume with 413 pages. Worth every penny!

Price £15.00

Introduction to Crystallography

A very specialised RMS microscopy handbook series 19. If the microscopy of crystals is your interest this is the book for you. However it is not really for those with a passing interest in crystals. This book is where geometry meets microscopy. 122 pages with an index. Condition very good.

Price £12.00

Unbiased Stereology

This book deals with how to make three dimensional measurements in microscopy. Written by C V Howard and M G Reed and is part of the RMS series. What is impressive is that the authors deal with this in a practical way that is easy to understand and they avoid complex mathematical formulae. They cover number estimates, length and particle sizes etc. 246 pages with an index. Condition very good.

Price £15.00

The Technique of Photomicrography (3140)

Taking good photographs through a microscope is a science - or even an art form- in itself. This book may have been written at a time when rolls of film were needed, but the knowledge that it gives is every bit as relevant in today's digital world. The only difference being that with a digital image you can ‘cheat’ and make it better than it was at the beginning. With this book you would not need to. Written by Douglas F. Lawson it is hard backed with 256 pages and an index, and of course illustrations.

Price £10.00

Photography through the Microscope (3192)

Produced by Kodak who obviously had an interest in this subject and written by  John Delly. As would be expected the images are excellent. Although this book covers the subject from the perspective of traditional film the information and practical advice is just as relevant in today's digital world. A very practical book covering what is seen by many as one of the problem areas in microscopy. Paper backed with 96 pages and an index. Good condition

Price £10.00

Honeybee Drones (3195)

The name ‘Drone’ has unfortunate connotations with  laziness which means that the poor old honeybee drone receives far less attention than their sister honeybee workers who effectively work themselves to death for the sake of the hive. This fine book written by Graham Kingham to a degree redresses the balance. It covers the life cycle, anatomy and detailed dissection of the drone with many excellent illustrations and photographs.  

Price £10.00

An Introduction to the Optical Microscope (3197)

The Royal Microscopical Society has published a range of microscopy books and these tend to drop in and out of availability. This book is number 1 in the series and is not currently available. It is an excellent book that describes the microscope and its various parts. There is an excellent section on how to put things right that have gone wrong and a really good glossary of terms. Written by Savile Bradbury it has 86 pages and an index.

Price £15.00

The Role of Microscopy in Semiconductor Failure Analysis (3198)

To be fair there are few to whom this book would be relevant, but for those few it would be invaluable. From the RMS handbook series it is number 25. Written by Richards and Footner, it does exactly that by showing how microscopes can assist with identifying component failure in microelectronics. 108 pages with an index.

Price £15.00

Basic Measurement Techniques for Light Microscopy (3199)

RMS handbook series number 23. Written by Savile Bradbury, it addresses one of the constant issues that we get telephone calls about - how do I measure how big something is under a microscope? This book not only explains linear measurement but also the measurement of angles and depth. Extremely well written. 97 pages with an index

Price £15.00

Biological Microtechnique

We are delighted to see this fine publication back in print. Written by J B Sanderson, it is an easy to read practical guide providing readers with all the knowledge they require to prepare better and more informative slides. Many pictures and diagrams. Part of the Microscopy Handbook Series, it has been out of print for some time but is now available again @ £45 which is expensive but in our view the information it contains is well worth it. However this used copy in good condition is now a bargain.

Price £20.00

Entangled Life (Fungi) (3333)

There will be very  few fungi enthusiasts that do not know the name of the author of this book - Merlin Sheldrake. For all of us this is a truly mind-altering journey into the spectacular and neglected world of fungi. The insight into this strange world is excellent and becomes a book you cannot put down because it teaches you so much about fungi. It is hard backed with 358 pages and an index. Dust cover

Price £15.00

Introduction to Light Microscopy (3334)

This book offers a beginner’s guide to using light microscopes. It begins with a brief introduction to the physics of optics, which will give the reader a basic grasp of the behaviours of light. In turn, each part of the microscope is explained using clear and simple English, together with detailed photographs and diagrams. The reader will learn the function, care and correct use of each part. A troubleshooting section also helps resolve some of the most common issues encountered in light microscopy. Highly recommended.

Price £15.00