Darwin family microscope goes to auction

Charles Darwin’s microscope is going to auction

Location: London, England

Darwin gifted the microscope to his son, Leonard

and it has remained in the family for nearly 200 years

It is expected to fetch up to $480,000 when it goes under the hammer

(SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTIE'S HEAD OF SCIENCE AND NATURAL HISTORY, JAMES HYSLOP, SAYING:"So Charles Darwin is one of the biggest names in the history of science, and collectors for Darwiniana are truly international in breadth. We anticipate heated bidding for this from multiple countries on the 15th of December here at Christie's."

The instrument was designed around 1825

and is one of six surviving microscopes associated with the British naturalist

(SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTIE'S HEAD OF SCIENCE AND NATURAL HISTORY, JAMES HYSLOP, SAYING:“It is just incredibly spine tingling to look through this and see the microscopic world that Darwin would have seen in the 1820s and 30s."