German, c.1920, signed to the front of the binocular head, Ernst Leitz Wetzlar, No.229400, on black enameled 'Y' shaped base plano-concave mirror, substage condenser on focusing support, with plain square stage, rack an pinion course focus, triple nosepiece, binocular head with inter-ocular adjustment, with 4 Leitz objectives, 2 pairs of binocular eyepieces, in the original wooden case, with business card of the original owner A. W Rymer Roberts.

According to the vendor this microscope was originally owned by Arthur W. Rymer Roberts. He was married to Ruth Gimingham, sister of Conrad Theodore Gimingham, a fellow entomologist, whom we assume was given or inherited this microscope. Rymer Roberts worked on Weevils and wire worms and published in the 1920’s. Conrad Theodore Gimingham became Director of the Ministry of Agriculture Plant Pathology Laboratory in Harpenden. Conrad Theodore Gimington’s son, Charles Henry, was also a keen scientist and will have used these instruments as he grew up, making his own slides from 1938 before going to Cambridge University. After a very distinguished academic scientific life Emeritus Professor Charles Henry Gimington OBE died in 2018 at the age of 95.