Prepared Slides

These are 6 slides of 'flies' and includes imago head, anopheles imago head and mouth, musca imago leg, anopheles ova, drosophila vestigial wing male and female and anopheles pupa whole mount.

Abraham Flatters was one half of Flatters and Garnett Ltd that formed in 1901 and became in the early part of that century the largest producer of slide preparations in this country - if not the world. Prior to 1901 Flatters worked alone on slide production and achieved recognition for his skills and was elected FRMS in 1902. His slides from the 1890's were labelled in his own hand. This set of 40 slides have some labelled in his own hand with most having more printed labels. All of the top labels have the word 'Histology' even though quite a few of them are botanical in origin and the bottom labels have his name monogram. All have circular coverslips that have mostly been ringed in brown and yellow although the rings have lost some areas. All appear to have been mounted in Canada Balsam which of course has yellowed with age. Indeed, the whole collection does show signs of its age.
The historical record tells us that Flatters displayed enormous energy and technical skills and produced a very large number of slides in his lifetime as a mounter. Unfortunately, he had a difficult temperament which marked his inability to work with others for very long. Life was not good to him in many ways with his first wife committing suicide by drinking nitric acid from his own laboratory in 1903.

Some years ago, ESP was a major supplier of educational microscope slides of quality. This is a set of six slides from what can best be described as 'bugs' The slides are of Mite, Pediculus female, Pediculus male and female, Culex image head, Culex larva and Pieris image proboscis
Each appropriately labelled and the set of six slides re boxed.

For many years in the later part of the last century Northern Biological Supplies owned and run by the late Eric Marson was the go to supplier of all things involved in microscope slide production as well as a significant range of prepared slides. All mounted by Eric himself with the exception of diatom and rock slides. This is a very early set of insect parts probably dating from the 1950's or so.

Biosil was a firm operated by John Wells in the 1960's and was well known not only for the very wide range of specimen types but also their quality. This set of six slides is from a variety of leaves. All are stained with botanical staining methods and the specimens are from Leek, Lily, Spotted Laurel, Marsh Mallow, Tulip and Box Buxus.

A set of six slides from mammal tissues that have been expertly stained with haematoxylin and Eosin. Originally prepared by ESP Ltd in Sussex. The material consists of cerebellum, medulla oblongata (hind brain), salivary gland, oesophagus, thyroid and transitional epithelium from the bladder. Complete with presentation slide box.

A set of extremely well presented slides of various parasites including parasitic blood flukes, lice, flea, worms and malarial parasites. There is a full list of the slides on our web site www.usedmicroscopes.co.uk/slides.html.

This is a set of 9 slide bases that have 32 individually numbered 'boxes' usually used for displaying microfossils. The base is covered by a standard sized slide

During the process of cell division the chromosomes become visible within cell nuclei before undertaking the process of mitosis or meiosis. We have never seen a set like this before that shows chromosomes from different species and several with human chromosomes including the XXY and XO variants, 14 slides in all. Stained to show the chromosomes. A x100 oil immersion lens is needed for most of these. There is a full list on our web site www.usedmicroscopes.co.uk/slides.html

Some years ago ESP were a major supplier of educational microscope slides of quality. This is a set of six slides of leaf structure stained expertly with safranin and light green to show the various components. Haircap moss, pinus female cone, acer node, monocotyledon leaf, phytophthora (water mould) and pellia. Complete with presentation slide box.

Some years ago ESP were a major supplier of educational microscope slides of quality. This is a set of six slides of stem sections stained with safranin and light green to show the various components. Wheat, water lily, broad bean, maize L/S and T/S, dicotyledon and monocotyledon, and scotch broom. Complete with presentation slide box

A set of 18 slides showing worm whole mounts. Some are parasitic others less so. Eggs of worm and fluke together with insect parts and whole mounts. All well presented. There is a full list on our web site www.usedmicroscopes.co.uk/slides.html

To study the cell division processes of Mitosis when the daughter cells have the same complement  of chromosomes fast growing cells such as root tip and plant anthers are ideal. There are good examples here showing various stages of the process. Meiosis is the cell division in the testis and ovaries and halves the number of chromosomes in the ‘daughter’ cells. The slides are well presented and stained. A rare set.. There is a full list on our web site www.usedmicroscopes.co.uk/slides.html

Grinding pieces of rock to provide slices that can transmit light and be examined with a polarising microscope is a skill that unfortunately is quickly disappearing. These 10 slides have clearly been produced by an individual for persona study rather than commercial use. Nevertheless the size of the specimens is relatively large and the thinness remarkable. Labelled with pen and ink. And in a slide box. There is a full list of each slide on our web site www.usedmicroscopes.co.uk/slides.html

The identification of the various fibres from textiles is not an easy process and in police forensic work microscopy using polarised light is a very important process. This set which includes 3 different presentations of silk and 7 others. Polarising filters will bring out the best in these presentations There is a full list or each slide on our web site www.usedmicroscopes.co.uk/slides.html

A set of 7 individual diatoms. Making slides of a specific species of diatom is in itself difficult enough. These are well presented and well mounted. Not easy to find these days. There is a full list of each slide on our web site www.usedmicroscopes.co.uk/slides.html

The material to produce a series of slides showing the chicken egg development is of course plentiful. However the technical skill to mount the ever increasing thickness of the material is in sparse supply. These slides were produced by the UK company ESP a good few years ago. As the thickness increased the coverslips and mountant were elevated. Appropriate staining and slide ringing has been used. 8 slides in all. There is a full list of each slide on our web site www.usedmicroscopes.co.uk/slides.html

To call this a set of ‘creepy-crawlies’ is probably accurate but does not represent the fine quality of the preparations or indeed’ this significant part of the insect world. Specimens include head louse, bed bug and flea (makes you itch!) together with mosquitos, fruit flies and the like. ESP preparations each with a printed label 16 slides with slide box There is a full list of each slide on our web site www.usedmicroscopes.co.uk/slides.html

Seven slides of pollen prepared by Griffin. The green colour on the labels dates this set to the 1980’s or so when the company that started as Griffin and George modernised its presentation approach and used different colours on slides so that the group they belong to could be seen easily - green was botanical, blue was animal histology and red for bacteria and pathology. These pollen slides then show a s green. In about 1999 Griffin was swallowed into the scientific division of Fisons Ltd. The pollen is from; heather, plantain, sorrel,spruce, the grass sweet vernal,and sycamore.  Good pollen set.

This is a set of 85 slides produced for educational purposes by T.Gerrard. It is possible to fairly accurately date this set to the late 1960’s or so. Founded originally in London, the biological supply division of T.Gerrard & Co relocated to Sussex in 1663 and for a time used a green transition label that showed both London and Sussex. T. Gerrard slides were known for the quality of their preparation and  presentation. The specimens cover a wide range of materials covering mainly fungi, plant, algae and pond life and in very good condition

Pond life is probably the most interesting of sources of microscopic interest and even captures the imagination of the young scientist - if you can persuade them to put down their mobile phones for a moment! This set of 25 slides by AIM and covers the full range of pond life creatures - protozoa, algae etc too few to list but everything is covered. They have even ringed the coverslip to point towards sparse specimens like the Amoeba - shown in the image. AIM is an Australian company that specialises in producing educational equipment and supplies at a very reasonable price. An ideal set for the beginner or newly interested young scientist. Recommended for value.

Bacteria consist more or less in three physical forms either ‘sausage’ shape - bacilli,  ‘golf ball’ shaped - cocci, or 'spiral' shaped - spirila. Most belong to the first two groups. Good and bad bacteria belong in these groups and it is not possible to know good from bad just by their shape. To help there is a staining method (the Gram test) that divides them into Gram positive (blue staining) and Gram negative (red). So there is not a lot you can see just by looking. Nevertheless bacteria seem to have a fascination with microscopists. This is a set of 12 slides all different. Just in case you are worrying, the bacteria are all dead and safe but you will need a x100 oil immersion objective on your microscope to see them properly..