Smith, Beck & Beck

Also known as: R & J Beck

Region: United Kingdom    Period: 1850–1890    Occupation: Instrument maker   Tag: Smith, Beck and Beck

James Smith entered into a partnership with his former apprentice, Richard Beck, in 1847. Richard Beck’s brother, Joseph Beck, subsequently joined the firm, and from 1857 the company operated under the name Smith, Beck and Beck. The company primarily specialised in the manufacture of microscopes, but it also produced stereoscopes and acted as a publisher and retailer of photographs. Smith retired in 1865, after which the business was continued by the Beck brothers under the name R & J Beck.

Further reading:

  • Hannavy, John (editor). Encyclopedia of nineteenth-century photography (2008) , pp. 1272-1273
Published: 04-02-2026    Last modified: 18-03-2026