F. KORISTKA MILANO MEDIUM SIZED ANTIQUE BRASS MONOCULAR MICROSCOPE W/CASE C1920 For Sale

Payment | ShippingF. KORISTKA MILANO MEDIUM SIZED ANTIQUE BRASS MONOCULAR MICROSCOPE W/CASE C1920
F. KORISTKA MILANO MEDIUM SIZED ANTIQUE BRASS COMPOUND MONOCULAR MICROSCOPE WITH WOOD CASE - CIRCA 1920You are invited to purchase a medium sized antique brass compound monocular microscope produced by the firm of F. Koristka based in Milan, Italy. This microscope features a large centerable rotating stage along with a pair of objective lenses, a single ocular and includes its original wood case. This instrument is signed / engraved on the front face of the body tube, "F. KORISTKA, MILANO" and bears the serial number "21116." This serial number appears to date the instrument to circa 1920.
The firm of Fratelli Koristka, SA (Brothers Koristka, SA) was based in Milan, Italy and was a relative latecomer to a relatively large number of European microscope manufacturers already doing business in the latter part of the 19th Century. This firm only came on the scene in the year 1880. According to Bracegirdle, this firm was known to have made a range of "slightly idiosyncratic microscopes" as well as many other optical devices and scientific instruments. While some of their microscopes had some unusual features, they were well received by users and the company enjoyed a good solid reputation in both Europe and the USA from 1880 to the late 1960s. Note: For more information on along with a history of the F. Koristka optical firm please see below.
This microscope will make an excellent addition to any antique brass microscope collection especially one that specializes in European made instruments. It is also a great antique brass microscope that can be used to start an antique microscope collection.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
This instrument is constructed mostly of black lacquered brass with lacquered brass components and is built upon a heavyweight horseshoe shaped foot of the popular Continental design. A very stout rectangular pillar that is integral with the foot rises to a compass joint that supports a nicely curved limb and, in turn, the rest of the microscope. The compass joint allows the instrument to be tilted to any angle from the vertical to horizontal for the comfortable viewing of specimen slides. This microscope is equipped with a 112mm diameter rubber coated revolving and centering stage with a 22mm central aperture. The stage can be rotated a full 360 degrees. The stage is centered using a pair of brass adjustment screws found on either side of the rear of the stage (see image that shows this). The stage is missing a pair of slide clips that would normally be found atop the stage.Under the stage is an Abbe condenser with a built-in iris diaphragm assembly mounted on a brass bar extending below the rear of the stage. This assembly is controlled by a rack and pinion system that allows the assembly to be raised towards or lowered away from the stage using a brass milled head found on the left side of the microscope. Completing the substage illumination system is a yoke mounted 45mm diameter plano-concave mirror assembly that is mechanically attached to the condenser support bar. The mirror can be moved from side to side on its own brass bar in order to provide oblique illumination to the stage.This instrument is equipped with a 35mm diameter body tube that includes a drawtube that is marked with two (2) levels - a 16 and a 16r. At the top of the drawtube is a brass ocular holder equipped with a #4 ocular. Coarse focus is by angled rack and pinion controlled by a pair of brass milled heads found on either side of the instrument. Fine focus is controlled by a brass milled head situated at a 20 degree angle from the horizontal and located at the top of the limb. Note: This location and set angle for the fine focus mechanism is similar to that found on several Reichert model microscopes.At the base of the body tube is a dual position nickel-plated brass revolving objective nosepiece. A set of two (2) objective lenses are provided: An M. Stiassnie of Paris No. 3 low power objective and an F. Koristka No. 7 medium high power objective. Each of the objectives is provided with a brass canister for storage inside the wood case when not in use on the microscope.When the body tube is fully extended, this microscope stands about 14 inches tall. When the body tube is retracted to its lowest position, the microscope stands about 12 inches tall. This microscope weighs in at 8 pounds.
Included with the microscope is a nice Cherry wood cabinet with a brass carrying handle and lock mechanism that is used to house the instrument. Unfortunately, the key to the lock is missing. Inside the case are dual wood pull-out racks for storage of the eyepiece and the two (2) objective lenses in their brass canisters. The exterior dimensions of the wood case are 14-inches tall by 7-inhes wide by 8.75-inches deep. The microscope in the wood case with the listed accessories weighs 14 pounds.STATEMENT OF CONDITION: NOTE: The accompanying images are a part of this statement of condition. Please take the time to view all of the images so you can confirm the condition of the microscope plus its accessories and case and so you will know what you will be getting should you be the fortunate new owner of this F. Koristka antique brass microscope.
In summary, this microscope is in very good to excellent cosmetic, optical and mechanical condition, but with a few minor caveats as noted below: The lacquer on this microscope's brass work is in relatively good condition with an estimated 80% of the original lacquer still present. The lacquered brass parts have a very nice honey-gold age patina. However, in concert with the age of the instrument, there are several spots of tarnish present here and there, mainly on the body tube and on the brass milled heads where human body oils tend to accumulate and to provide the chemical catalyst for gradual tarnish over time. The black lacquered brass parts are in very good to excellent condition with a just few very minor scratches, chips and dings from use over time. The single eyepiece and the 2 objective lenses provided with this microscope are in very good to excellent condition with no optical defects evident. But, the objective lenses all show various degrees of surficial cosmetic tarnish on the barrels. The Abbe condenser is free of any optical defects. The plano-concave mirror is in excellent condition with no evidence of any loss of silvering. Both sides of the mirror provide good illumination to the stage. The mechanics associated with this microscope are in very good to excellent condition. Both the coarse and fine focus mechanisms work as designed. The mechanics associated with the substage illumination system work perfectly. The iris diaphragm in the condenser is in good condition with no evidence of rust on the blades. The stage rotates freely and its centering mechanism works as it should. However, slide clips that would normally be found on the top of the stage are missing.
This instrument has evidently been well cared for over the years and still can be used for serious microscopic investigations to this day - a testimony to the manufacturer's attention to detail.The wood case that houses this instrument is in very good to excellent serviceable condition. As noted above, the key to the lock is missing. There are some scratches and minor age splits found both inside and outside of the case, but none of these interfere with the structural integrity of the case.

ABOUT THE KORISTKA OPTICA FIRM, MILAN:

Francesco Koristka (1851 - 1933), was born on March 1, 1851 inthe village of Jakartovice located in the Moravian-Silesian Region of what isnow the Czech Republic. Note: Several historical references indicate thathe was born in Poland and so was of Polish origin. However, as Jakartovice is located just southof the Polish border, he may have spent most of his youth in Poland, thus thesource of this alternative information regarding his place of birth and nationality.

Astime passed, the young Koristka discovered the world of optical design andengineering by working as an optical designer in a German optical factory (mostlikely in Poland) and later as an optician in Vienna, Austria (quite possiblywith the Reichert optical firm as some of his microscopes resemble those madeby Reichert).

In1851, he emigrated to Milan, Italy and for a time he was an assistant to AngeloSalmoiraghi (1848-1939) who was an entrepreneur, optician and engineer inacompany named Filotecnica-Salmoiraghi that produced a varied array of high precision scientificinstruments for industry.

In the year 1880, he left the Filotechnia firmand set up his own optical workshop in Milan and began to produce severaloptical devices including microscopes.In the following year in 1881 he founded the company that bears hisname, Fratelli Koristka, SA (Brothers Koristka, SA).

Thanks to his professional relationship with thefamous German optical engineer, Ernst Abbe, he had the opportunity to buildmicroscopes and photographic lenses using Zeiss patents. Also, some of his early microscopes werebased on Zeiss stands and Bracegirdle states that some of his early stands may even had been made by Zeiss or Hartnack. Ultimately, his company thusbecame what was undoubtedly the most important Italian company for theconstruction of microscopes and one of the few Italian industries whichexported precision optical instruments both to the rest of Europe and also to America. From the year 1885 onward, he signed hismicroscopes and other optical devices as "F. Koristka-Milano."

FrancescoKoristka participated in numerous universal exhibitions and won the gold medalat the Chicago Exhibition in 1893, at the Paris Exhibition in 1900 and at boththe Brussels and Buenos Aires Exhibitions in 1910. Also, in 1907, he was decorated Knight ofLabor by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce in theindustry division.

Thesevarious awards and distinctions demonstrated the international scope andsuccess experienced by his company and its productions.

From1890 to 1896 the company was located at Via San Vittore 47, Milan. From 1896 to Circa 1920, the company waslocated at via G. Rovere 2 in Milan.Thereafter, it was located at 47 Via Ampere in Milan up to the1960s.

In1896, the company produced one of the first telephoto lenses of the time and certainlythe first in Italy. It was based on adesign by Carlo Negri. In addition,Koristka was credited with the invention of the semi-apochromatic objective,which combined high quality with low price.This type of objective lens was used on the company's microscopes fromthe beginning of the 20th Century to the advent of the First WorldWar. During the First World War,Koristka produced binoculars intended for use by officers of the Royal Navy.

In1917, the company issued an illustrated catalogue of microscopes that listed 7different models, followed by several other optical accessories and parts. It also included a sophisticated microtomeand a large microphotographic apparatus.

In1929 the company was absorbed by Officine Galileo - Firenze based in Florence,Italy. However, microscopes were stillproduced in Milan under the Koristka label at least up to the year 1968 when microscopeproduction appears to have ceased.

FrancescoKoristkadied in Milan on the 26th of November 1933.

PURCHASE: THE MONTANA LOGGER is very pleased to offer this F. Koristka Medium Sized Antique Brass Monocular Microscope with case and accessories for a very reasonable Buy-It-Now cost. We will also entertain REASONABLE offers for this microscope. NOTE: WE WARMLY WELCOME INTERNATIONAL buyers / BUYERS. WE SHIP WORLDWIDE. PAYMENT: Payment is due within 3 days of purchase. Prompt payment is always very much appreciated. PaymentBack to Top
I accept the following forms of payment:

• PayPal

Shipping & HandlingBack to Top

US Shipping

$45.00 FedEx Ground®
$45.00 FedEx Home Delivery®

International Shipping

$135.00 USPS Priority Mail International (Worldwide)
$98.00 USPS Priority Mail International (Canada)FREE scheduling, supersized images
and templates. Get Vendio Sales Manager.Make your listings stand out with
FREE Vendio custom scheduling, supersized images
and templates. Get Vendio Sales Manager.

Over 100,000,000 served. Get FREE counters from Vendio today!