AO (American Optical) Spencer Microscope Manuals and Catalogs

Ok, what is going on here . . .?

I'm a microscope enthusiast and amateur microscopist, if you will, and the microscopes that I own (OK, that I could afford  :-)  although it would be hard to buy something really better -- they are excellent!) are AO (American Optical ) or AO Spencer microscopes.  Because these instruments all date from the 1950's and 1960's or before, information on them is becoming harder and harder to find . . . so here you go!    

Note: Many of these files were furnished to me by Robert Tolley, after I had contributed a Darkfield manual and the newer Series 10 manual, who in-turn, received it from others, so I believe that many amateurs have probably contributed to this collection over the years.  I have since tried to add to it as documents or scans have been kindly sent to me, or I have been able to bid on them on eBay. 

 I am searching for an AO Series 2 or Series 4 reference manual, if you have one, please contact me

1.  The AO Series 10 Manual:

    A.  The 1967 version is available at Gordon's site in two parts: part a & part b.

    B.  The 1969 version is available right here (2.98 MB).

    C.  The 1974 version is also available right here (2.52 MB).

    Note:  The Dual Viewing Adapter Manual is available here.

2.   The AO Series 10 Catalog (3.65 MB) note: Patrick Moore has kindly hosted this file on his site.

3    The AO Series 10 Darkfield Manual (0.65 MB)

4.   The AO Series 10 PhaseStar Manual (8.01 MB pdf from www.science-info.org/micro/docs/AO-Spenser/)

5.   The AO Series 10 PhaseStar Catalog (1.92 MB)  

6.   The AO Cycloptic Manuals: 

A. 1962 Reference Manual (1.64 MB)

B. 1977 Reference Manual (13.96 MB pdf file, courtesy of Eldred Spell.)

C. Cycloptic Dual Viewing Addendum (0.2 MB)

7.   The AO Cycloptic Catalog: 

    A.  The 1962 version (4.20 MB) note: Patrick Moore has kindly hosted this file on his site.

    B.  The 1975 version (3.15 MB) note: Patrick Moore has kindly hosted this file on his site.

8.   The AO Series 2 & 4 Catalog (4.64 MB) note: Patrick Moore has kindly hosted this file on his site.

9   The AO Series 2 & 4 PhaseStar Manual (1.45 MB)

10. The AO Series 2 & 4 PhaseStar Catalog (0.98 MB)

11. The Effective Use and Proper Care of the Microscope note: A must read!   

This book was revised and republished over the years as AO Spencer's microscope line evolved.  There are:

Why am I trying to get a copy of multiple versions?  Unreasoned obsession?  No . . . well maybe :-) . . . the reason one might want a specific year is that it contains instructions for a certain range of microscope models.  I believe that during the years above, these are the only 'users manuals' AO Spencer provided for their microscopes.

12. The AO Series 15 & 35 Catalog (1.97 MB)

13. The AO Series 15 & 35 Phase Catalog (1.81 MB)

Also: Directions For Use of Spencer Phase Turret Condenser (For No. 8M Phase Microscope, and No. 15M or No. 35M Medical Microscopes).

14. The AO Blue Book (25.2 MB)  note: It's 208 pages!, but this is a famous publication you should see! Patrick Moore has kindly hosted this file on his site

15. I Saw Them Making Microscopes (1.24 MB) note: This is a 20-page 'walk through' of the AO Spencer plant in 1937.

16. The Microscope - Construction, Use, and Care 1926 (6.25 MB)  note: This scanned booklet courtesy of Eldred Spell. Patrick Moore has kindly hosted this file on his site. 

17. AO Series 40 Teaching Stereo Catalog (0.67 MB)  note: Patrick Moore has kindly hosted this file on his site.  

18. AO Series 40 Teaching Stereo Manual (1.63 MB)  note: Patrick Moore has kindly hosted this file on his site.  

19. Spencer Medical Microscopes:

A. 1935? (a guess) (0.89 MB)  note: a sales brochure featuring brochure featuring models 13MH and 33MH scopes.

B. 1937 (2.1 MB) note: sales brochure, a few more bits of information added to the above, plus more pictures. 

20. Spencer Microscope Accessories (1.91 MB) note: 18 pages long; it seems to be a subset of the AO Blue Book (above).

21. Spencer Lamps (0.94 MB) note: 10 pages long; published Feb of 1935, and describes Spencer Microscope Lamp offerings.

22. Spencer 'How to Use and Care for the Microscope' (1.78 MB) -- 30 pages, most probably from 1910.  Features the Series 45 and 20.

23. Spencer 1938 'The Evolution of the Microscope' (3.05 MB) note: This scanned booklet courtesy of Eldred Spell.

24. Spencer 1943 'The Use of Polarizing Microscopes (3.52 MB)

25. Three American Microscope Builders, a publication of AO Spencer in 1943 (35MB pdf file), and about microscope builders Charles Spencer, Robert Tolles, and Herbert Spencer.  (note: This document is housed on Eldred Spell's site).

26. Stereoscopic Microscope Reference Manual -- Series 20, 21, 23, 25, 26, 27, and 28.  A 1967 American Optical publication, written by Oscar W. Richards.  note: This document courtesy of Matt Brin.

A very nice 'on-line' AO Series 20 Microscope Manual can be found here, and another one here in pdf format (6.8 MB -- includes the phase manual too).

Looking for AO Series 150 Microscope documentation?   See the manual and the catalog (dated 03/75) in pdf format.  note: Patrick Moore has kindly hosted these files on his site.   I also have a  newer, but much smaller, catalog produced under the AO/Reichert name (dated 05/85)  that I can send you if you'd like.

Reichert is back in the microscope servicing business and they have scans of the newer AO/Reichert scope manuals here. 

(Note: this appears to be a growing collection that now holds various AO-Reichert, and Reichert-Jung, Series 100, 110, 120, 150, and 160 manuals and references.  Also, they seem to be very helpful and friendly too -- so they may be able to answer your questions if you drop them an email or a phone call about one of the newer models).

I also have scanned images of the following (listed in no particular order).   Patrick Moore -is- hosting the SteroStar materials and some of the others  (just click on the link) . A special thanks to www.bairbrepaws.com, who also provides space for some of these.

Note: for those files without live links, if you send me an email I will email them to you, or at least provide a link to them from this site from which you can download them -- no problem.

*Note: Haemacytometers are useful for counting many types of cells other than blood cells.  See: http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~bioslabs/methods/microscopy/cellcounting.html and/or http://oregonstate.edu/~weisv/Protocols/Symbiodinium/Cell%20Counts.pdf.  Also, a heamacytometer can be used as a very useful stage micrometer. 

Ever see a Telegraph code in a catalog?!   The 1924 and 1929 catalogs have them:

See the AO Series 10 'dual view' in the Dickies Catalog -- click Here.

Here is an article I wrote for Micscape on adapting a Heine Condenser to an AO Series 10.

What science-minded youngsters dreamt about in 1910 (below) . . . "The handiest, handsomest microscope on the market" 

Ad from the Ohio Journal of Science, 1960, featuring a Series 4 Phasestar on an Ortho Illuminator (courtesy of James Bosley).

The cover of George Needham's 'The Practical Use of the Microscope' -- a very famous and somewhat rare book from 1958 -- features an AO Series 4 set-up for photography.

Looking for the Joseph Leidy Microscopy portal?  Click Here.

Steven Born notes that the 'Smithsonian Instruments for Science 1800-1914' collection has a couple of early AO Spencer related materials.
Central Scientific Company Catalog (1911)	Shows pricing and descriptions for Spencer models 36, 40, 66, 70, etc. and some accessories
Spencer Lens Company Catalog (1896)	Shows pricing and descriptions for Spencer models 1, 2, 3 -- you can't get much earlier than that!  :-)

A 1937 Spencer Brochure Cover

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