In 1855 The London Society of Arts offered a prize for the best microscope that could be sold for fewer than 3 guineas. The design requirements outlined a microscope that had two lenses, and could be disassembled and stored in a compact box. The instrument had to sell for a low price and the prize winner had to agree to keep the microscope always available for purchase. Many makers took part in this competition and the prize went to Robert Field of Birmingham. The popularity of his design was such that most manufacturers produced their own models with slight variations and they became known as 'Society of the Arts' type microscopes.

This microscope tells an interesting story of skill and migration. The owner of the microscope, Dr Lovegrove, was a general practitioner who migrated from the United Kingdom to New Zealand in 1877. It has been documented that Dr Lovegrove treated many of his less affluent patients as 'LOG' (for the Love of God), and never asked them for payment. On his migration to New Zealand his patients and friends presented the doctor with this microscope. For its time, this microscope was quite an amateurish setup to present to a doctor, however it would have been a small and handy model to move halfway across the world with. The 1880's saw a great expansion in the manufacture of microscopes and the presentation of this microscope in 1877 is suggestive that Dr Lovegrove's patients held him in very high esteem.

These types of presentation microscopes are not unknown but fairly rare in museum collections.

Written by Erika Dicker
Assistant Curator, 2007.