The item presented is an optical microscope of the so-called Nuremberg type, which is based on the design developed by Edmund Culpeper (active from 1700 to 1737). The optical system of this microscope consists of non-replaceable lenses in the eyepiece and objective. The eyepiece, protected from damage by a wooden nut, contains large lenses embedded in a wooden ring, while the objective contains a small lens placed at the end of the wooden cone. The microscope consists of three cardboard tubes with wooden rings reinforcing the structure. A clear image at different magnifications is obtained by sliding the tubes in and out. In later designs, the metric screw is used for this purpose. The tube is supported on a tripod stand, which is mounted on a circular base. The concave mirror, characteristic of Culpeper-type microscopes, is placed in the center of the base. There is no distinct stage – slides were placed directly on top of the support, under the wooden plate. They were prevented from sliding out by a round metal spring.

The slides used were in the form of simple or multiple slats, usually made of wood.

Wood and paper microscopes, known as Nuremberg type microscopes, were richly decorated and had the character of toys modeled from two popular types of 18th-century microscopes developed by Edmund Culpeper and Benjamin Martin (1704-1782). They were manufactured by many opticians from the 18th century to the first half of the 19th century. They are usually signed with the manufacturer’s initials burned on the bottom of the foot. Early microscopes were made of brass, ivory, and silver. The wooden and paper items constitute a specific group. They were copies of proper instruments but had the useful properties of microscopes. They can be compared to scientific gadgets, which are nonetheless instruments of investigation. The optical system was comparable to those of metal, only the material of the mechanical structure of the instrument was less durable than those made of metal.