Edmundo Culpeper (1660-1740), was an English optician who lived in London. He created this model that was extraordinarily popular and would be manufactured throughout the 18th century. The Culpeper Microscope stands on three brass or bronze legs. The mirror is housed in the center of the base. The circular stage has a central hole to place the preparations and these are fixed by means of two clips, located in the lower part of the plate. Observations are made by transparent light.
It is a compound microscope made entirely of brass. An evolved model from a previous prototype in which the optical tube was made of cardboard. This model is similar to the microscope designed by Galileo. It is a device with a circular base from which there are three columns or curved legs that support the stage. This is also circular with a central hole and has two staples under it to hold the preparations.
From the stage, in turn, three other curved columns emerge that support the optical tube. This is finished off with an eyepiece and is articulated in two concentric brass tubes, telescopic, which allow focusing by vertical movement. The objective is screwed onto the end of the tube. These devices used to have three interchangeable lenses of different magnifications. In the center of the base is screwed the reflection mirror that allows observation by transparent light.
This appliance has a total height of 29 cm. The original model evolved in its focusing and incident lighting mechanism to become the drum models and ended with the development of the Ellie-type model, shown in this collection as # 42.