I exhausted my resources searching the internet for this instrument. The only thing I found was a photo of the exact one in the Institute Of Evolutionary Medicine at the University Of Zurich, in their Medical Instrument Collection. I reached out to them to see if they could help me identify what I had. Fine Arts with the Medical Collection And Human Remains Collection responded with this answer. It was used to produce the thinnest slices of human organ preparations. A sample of the organ in question was introduced into the tubular element of the microtome and very sharp blades were then used to cut thin slices off the sample by moving it upwards inside the tube. Then the slides would be analyzed microscopically. It comes with a wooden case(the one in Zurich did not have a case). The microtome measures 4 ¼” wide by 3 ½” deep and stands 4? High. The box measures 5″ wide by 4 3/15″ deep and 5 ½ high. There is a chip in the black plate on the top and there is discoloration to the brass, these flaws are expected because of the age and use. This would make a wonderful addition to your antique medical equipment collection, as it is a rare find.
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