Bausch & Lomb - Microscope Makers

J.J. Bausch was born in Germany, in 1830, and emigrated to America in 1849. Henry Lomb, born in Germany in 1828, also emigrated to America in the same year. Meeting in Rochester, NY, these two men started a spectacle making business, and, in 1866, started the Vulcanite Optical Instrument Co., to make hard rubber eyeglass and magnifier frames. By 1866, the company was making a simple microscope, however, it wasn't until 1874 that their first compound microscope was produced. That year, the company name was changed to Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. The following year, Gundlach came to work for Bausch & Lomb, designing a full product line of microscopes. His 1876 patent is incorporated into most of these stands. Gundlach left the firm in 1878, after a long dispute, with the company retaining his patents. Bausch's sons, Edward, William, and Henry all helped to fill the gap after Gundlach's departure. The company, of course, prospered and is alive and well today. J.J. Bausch died in 1926 and Henry Lomb died in 1908.

IMAGES

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The B&L New Model Stand
The American Journal of Microscopy advertisement, 1878

The B&L Model Microscope
The Microscope advertisement, 1883

The B&L Model Stand
The Microscope in Botany, Behrens, 1885

The Physician's Microscope
Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, 1886

The B&L Trichinoscope
American Journal of Microscopy, 1881

The Professional Stand (early version)
Dr. Leopold Dippel, Das Mikroskop, 1882

The Professional Stand
American Monthly Microscopical Journal, 1883

The Concentric Stand
American Annual Cyclopedia, 1884

B&L Student Stand
Dr. Leopold Dippel, Das Mikroskop, 1882

The Investigator Stand
Dr. Leopold Dippel, Das Mikroskop, 1882

The Universal Stand
The Microscope in Botany, Behrens, 1885

The Harvard Stand
American Monthly Microscopical Journal, 1884

The Petrographical Stand
American Journal of Science, 1888

The Laboratory model (inverted configuation)
Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, 1887

The Laboratory model (vertical configuation)
Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, 1887

The University model (vertical configuation)
Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, 1887

The University model (inverted configuation)
Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, 1887

The Biological Stand
American Monthly Microscopical Journal, 1890

The Griffith Club Microscope
A traveling microscope designed by Ezra Griffith and built by Bausch & Lomb. The foot of this unique instrument converts to a slide turntable. This is a later version.
The American Monthly Microscopical Journal, 1890.

The Improved Griffith Club Microscope, ca. 1883
Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, 1883

The Griffith Club Microscope - earlier version
Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, 1881

The B&L Compact Dissecting Microscope
The Microscope in Botany, Behrens, 1885

The B&L Compound Dissecting Microscope
The Microscope in Botany, Behrens, 1885

U.S. Patents

No. 47382 Improvement in Microscopes, April 25, 1865
J.J. Bausch's first microscope patent was for a collapsible pocket magnifier with spring mounted lens.

No. 151746, Improvement in Microscopes, June 9, 1874
A simple instrument, dubbed the "Excelsior" and heavily marketed in the 1870's.

No. 199015, Improvement in Microscopes, Jan 8, 1878
The famous American Agriculturist simple microscope with three lenses and vulcanite base and lens holders.

No. 230688, Microscope, Aug 30, 1880
John J. Bausch. The portable dissecting microscope folds flat for storage.

No. 251721, Trichinoscope, Jan 3, 1882
Carl F. Lomb and Edward Bausch. A portable instrument for the examination of thin sections of pork for trichinae.

No. 277869, Microscopic Illuminator, May 22, 1883
An electric light mounted on the mirror bar, patented by Edward Bausch.

No. 293217, Binocular Microscope, Feb 12, 1884
Edward Bausch. A prism holder nosepiece, adjustable for binocular or monocular use.

No. 328277, Microscope, Oct 13, 1885
Edward Bausch's patent for a compound microscope includes the use of sheet metal construction of many parts, a lowered center of gravity, and a glass stage.

No. 373634, Invertible Microscope, Nov 22, 1887
Edward Bausch's patent for an inverted microscope which can easily be converted to conventional use by removal of the prism housing and attachment of the tube in the normal manner.

No. 577344, Microscope, Feb 16, 1897
Edward Bausch's patent for the fine focus mechanism and method of attaching the hard rubber stage cover.

No. 588689, Microscope Attachment, Aug 24, 1897
Edward Bausch's patent for the B&L mechanical stage with "C" mount.

No. 597758, Magnifying Glass, Jan 25, 1898
A folding magnifier for examining fabric.

No. 617007, Microscope, Jan 3, 1899
Edward Bausch and August Koehler, of Bausch & Lomb. The patent covers the substage assembly.

19th century journal reprints

John Phin's $20 Microscope
Advertisement from The American Journal of Microscopy, 1876

Bausch & Lomb 1879 Price-List
From The Microscope & Microscopical Technology, Heinrich Frey, 1880 American edition.

other microscope makers