Abstract: A specimen holder which in use is supported on three sides in an electron instrument by the arms of a manipulator mechanism and which includes an apertured base structure having three projecting flanges disposed along respective sides of the base structure. The flanges are arranged to be secured to the arms of a manipulator mechanism so that the holder can be tilted by the manipulator. The base structure comprises a first component of thin sheet material secured in superimposition to a pair of mutually spaced but co-planar sub-components of thin sheet material electrically isolated from the first component. These sub-components respectively integrally carry two of said flanges and the sub-components and their flanges are electrically conductive.