In the following pages are a selection of other types of instrument that I have collected over the years, both by accident and design. Microscopes are another serous interest of mine and I have eleven at the time of writing, all in working order. To go with them I have a case of slides dating from the late Victorian period, which soon enable you to compare the performance of different microscopes. During Victoria’s reign microscopes developed from being toys for the wealthy to research tools nearing optical perfection.
Many of the things I collect are things I can use; hence I have a very small collection of barometers and other meteorological instruments, although I haven’t found a use for the damp detector yet, which I was given by a friend. I don’t have a use for the hydrometers either but there is a tenuous connection with some of my slide rules. The box sextant is a useful surveying tool and the telescopes can be used to look at the view from the window of my collection room. I haven’t found a use for the Durometer yet or the polarimeter, although I have confirmed the latter works with a camera polarising filter.
