"A microscope is a scientific instrument. Think of it like a musical instrument: practice, practice, practice."
They sure don't make 'em (or advertise 'em) like they used to.
Don't ask me how, but I somehow found my way to the Eli Whitney Museum's page on toy microscopes. There, the museum has images of Gilbert Microscopes as featured in the 1949-1955 American Flyer Catalogs.
The A. C. Gilbert that made these scopes is the same Gilbert that a) invented the iconic Erector Set in 1913 (by 1935 he had sold more than 30 million of them) b) battled to legitimize german shepherds as a dog breed in the US c) won a gold medal in the 1908 olympics for pole vaulting and d) is credited for saving christmas in 1917.
Without further ado, note the above ad, which is also my favorite (really, really, today's ad copy is so dry and dull when compared to yesteryear's: "Owning a Gilbert Polarizing Microscope is like taking a trip to Magicland").
Wait wait wait. Let's zoom in to see what that slick-haired boy's saying. Cause it just might be priceless: 
ooh! Looks like he's even be making a sort of "Yes! Score!" gesture with his hand there. Dang! I need one of those.
Posted by: Ian S | January 21, 2007 at 08:50 PM