Gerald Davies
active mid-1880s to mid-1890s

by Brian Stevenson
last updated September, 2024

Gerald Davies produced a substantial number of high-quality microscope slides during the 1880s/1890s. His specimens are well laid-out, finished with black and white/grey ringing. He used a delicate, clear handwriting for his labels. Labels also bear the words “Prepared by Gerald Davies”, usually placed with a rubber stamp, but occasionally hand-written.

Unfortunately, Davies did not provide an address or other information through which he can be positively identified. His slides have appeared in UK auctions, implying that he lived in that country. Nobody with that name has been located in association with a microscope or other scientific society. Each of Davies’ slides appears to be unique, suggesting that he was an amateur who mounted slides for his own enjoyment, rather than being a professional.

Figure 1. Microscope slides that were prepared by Gerald Davies, dated between 1889 and 1895.

Figure 2. Two additional slides that were probably owned by Geraald Davies. These and a number of similarly labeled slides have appeared with Davies-labeled slides at auctions. The handwriting and "No." in red ink are similar to those on the labels of Davies' signed slides. The designated numbering used Roman numerals, as opposed to the Arabic numerals on slides that were signed by Davies (compare with Figure 1). That and the absence of "prepared by Gerald Davies" suggests that he acquired such slides from other mounters.