The company’s reputation for quality optical instruments grew rapidly and they added several new instruments to their range. In 1865 Kellner hired the engineer Ernst Leitz, who became a partner – fully acquiring the company in 1869 and renaming it the Optical Institute of Ernst Leitz. Initially the company’s main production was in telescopes however, within a few years microscopes had become their primary focus. The original company was established in Wetzlar, Germany by Karl Kellner in 1849. Case measures 33.5 cm height by 17.5 cm width and 19.5 cm in depth. Fully extended the microscope is approximately 41 cm in height. The fitted case houses slide-out racks holding numbered eyepiece lenses 2 & 4 and objective lenses 3, 6 & 8 (in brass canisters) as well as a slide-out lidded box for accessories. Manufacturers card to inside door, specifying magnifications for the two eyepiece and three objective lenses as originally supplied with the microscope (with serial number 193384). In original fitted dovetailed case with working lock and key.

Main barrel stamped Ernst Leitz Wetzar No 193384. Sub-stage there is a condenser lens and iris diaphragm, above a double sided planar/concave mirror with height adjustment wheel. Circular rotating stage with slide-clips and two centring screws for adjustment on both X and Y planes. Rack and pinion wheel for coarse focusing and micrometer wheel for fine focusing. Revolving nosepiece or turret housing three objective lenses. Extending main barrel housing eyepiece lens. Solid lacquered brass monocular microscope with black enamelled horse-shoe foot. Early 20th century cased brass monocular microscope manufactured c1925 by Ernst Leitz of Wetzar, Germany and retailed by Ogilvy & Co, London.

Vintage ernst leitz wetzlar microscope