A Rare 18th‑Century Microscope Fetches Over £18,000 at Cotswolds Auction
A diminutive microscope, tucked away in a Cotswolds home, has sold for more than £18,000 at auction—a striking result for a piece dating back to the 1700s. The instrument, considered a rare scientific artifact, was auctioned by Kinghams Auctioneers in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.
When estimates were set, the microscope was expected to draw between £800 and £1,200. The final hammer price dramatically exceeded this forecast, coming in at roughly 15 times its pre-auction valuation.
Adrian Rathbone, associate director at Kinghams, noted that stumbling upon a treasure like this is far from commonplace. He explains that the item is likely the work of John Clark, a Scottish maker, and would have belonged to a wealthy individual with a keen interest in science and specimen analysis—an area that enjoyed considerable popularity at the time.
“Such devices were all the rage,” Mr. Rathbone commented. “We’re looking at a period shaped by figures like Erasmus Darwin and other prominent physicians who used these instruments. This microscope would have been a coveted, exclusive object.”
Image attribution: Kinghams Auctioneers
To gauge its significance, the microscope was compared with surviving examples housed at institutions like the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. That cross‑check helped the team at the auction house appreciate just how noteworthy the find was.
“The thrill of an auctioneer’s job is the unpredictability,” said Mr. Rathbone. “You never know what may come through the door, and when you uncover a rarity like this, it’s genuinely exciting.”
Although the buyer’s identity hasn’t been disclosed, Rathbone confirmed the purchaser is a UK-based collector, ensuring the piece remains in Britain.
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