Liebreich Ophthalmoscope 1870 — Second Example
This is a second example of the antique Liebreich Ophthalmoscope dating to around 1870. It is an unsigned version presented in a fitted case just over 5¼ inches wide. The lid is inscribed in gold: “LIEBREICH’S OPHTHALMOSCOPE.” A partial stamp on the underside of the case carries the number 4200 and D.F on it. This example comes with two of the original five viewing lenses and no condensing lenses of the original two for indirect ophthalmoscopy. It was made by Patz and Flohr, opticians in Berlin.
Richard Liebreich
Richard Liebreich was born in East Prussia in 1830. He studied in Berlin and received his doctorate in 1853. He was a preparator for Helmholtz — the inventor of the ophthalmoscope — in 1851. While assisting at Graefe’s clinic from 1854 to 1862, Liebreich published a classic treatise about ophthalmoscopy in the French edition of Mackenzie’s book. In 1862 he settled in Paris and published his famous atlas of ophthalmoscopy. In 1870 he moved to London and directed the ophthalmic section at St. Thomas’ Hospital from 1871 to 1878. He later moved to Paris where he died in 1917.
The Liebreich Design
Liebreich first described his stand ophthalmoscope in 1855. It featured two short brass tubes adjusted by a screw thread. The tube near the observer had a metal concave mirror held by two double springs. This mirror rotated around the vertical axis and could be removed. The other tube held a convex lens on the side near the patient. A small button at the end of a linked rod served as a fixation target. The image could be projected onto the table top with a camera lucida. A cushioned forehead and chin rest were also part of the original stand design.
Dating and Provenance
The hand-held version of the Liebreich began around 1860 and lasted almost 50 years. In the early 1870s the metal mirror was replaced by glass free of coating in the center. A glass mirror confirms this example dates from the 1870s or later. The partial stamp number 4200 and D.F on the underside of the case adds an interesting provenance detail that may reward further research.
See our first Liebreich Ophthalmoscope example.
