Tolles type B, compound microscope
Date1860-1890
Inventory Number1066
ClassificationMicroscope
Subject
Maker
Boston Optical Works
fl. 1867 - 1895
Maker
Charles X. Dalton
1840 - 1912
Maker
Robert B. Tolles
1823 - 1883
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Dimensionsmicroscope: 40 × 17.8 × 25 cm (15 3/4 × 7 × 9 13/16 in.)
case: 44.7 × 20 × 25.8 cm (17 5/8 × 7 7/8 × 10 3/16 in.)
case: 44.7 × 20 × 25.8 cm (17 5/8 × 7 7/8 × 10 3/16 in.)
Material
AccessoriesThree dated Tolles objectives: 1/2" Nov. 18, 1860, 1/4" Dec. 23, 1877, 1/5" Oct. 28, 1868; 1 high power solid eyepiece, 1 low power normal eyepiece; polarizer; substage mirror; mechanical stage, standing case.
DescriptionLarge, brass Tolles microscope, with stand B design. Curvaceous V-shaped base with two turned upright pillars to hinge joint. Carved arm to block with rack and pinion coarse focus. Body tube is brass. Draw tube has nickel plating and is calibrated. Fine focus is by means of a screw on the front of the tube that adjusts a lever on the inner tube holding the objective.
The circular stage rotates and is divided 0-90 twice around the full 360 degrees. On top of this is an elaborate, nickel-plated mechanical stage with graduated motion in x-y directions. The substage assembly includes a cup for a condenser (which is missing) that is raised and lowered by rack and pinion on a post below the stage. Further down on the post, it is nickel-plated and carries an articulated arm to which is attached a plano-concave mirror.
Accessories include an upright standing mahogany case with lock (key missing) and two pull out drawers. One drawer is fitted with circular openings lined in purple velvet for eyepieces and objectives. The other drawer has two circular openings but is not lined. It currently holds a polarizer. (No analyzer is present.) The case handle is a leather strap. It is broken. There appears to have once been a base board on which the microscope sat, which was pulled out to remove the microscope from the case. That board is currently missing. The case was also altered with notches to accommodate the instrument.
Included with the instrument are two eyepieces, one of which is a high-power Tolles solid eyepiece. The other is lower power.
There are three dated Tolles objectives, with the dates hidden inside the objective assemblies: 1/2 inch: Nov. 18, 1860, 1/4 inch: Dec. 23, 1877, 1/5 inch water: Oct. 28, 1868. The 1/4 inch is on the microscope. The canisters in the case are marked on top and bottom: "1/2," "1/5," and "1 In." A note found inside the 1-inch canister states that "The 1 inch objective (a short one) from this box, has been put on microscope 66." It is in Dr. Lewis's hand.
The circular stage rotates and is divided 0-90 twice around the full 360 degrees. On top of this is an elaborate, nickel-plated mechanical stage with graduated motion in x-y directions. The substage assembly includes a cup for a condenser (which is missing) that is raised and lowered by rack and pinion on a post below the stage. Further down on the post, it is nickel-plated and carries an articulated arm to which is attached a plano-concave mirror.
Accessories include an upright standing mahogany case with lock (key missing) and two pull out drawers. One drawer is fitted with circular openings lined in purple velvet for eyepieces and objectives. The other drawer has two circular openings but is not lined. It currently holds a polarizer. (No analyzer is present.) The case handle is a leather strap. It is broken. There appears to have once been a base board on which the microscope sat, which was pulled out to remove the microscope from the case. That board is currently missing. The case was also altered with notches to accommodate the instrument.
Included with the instrument are two eyepieces, one of which is a high-power Tolles solid eyepiece. The other is lower power.
There are three dated Tolles objectives, with the dates hidden inside the objective assemblies: 1/2 inch: Nov. 18, 1860, 1/4 inch: Dec. 23, 1877, 1/5 inch water: Oct. 28, 1868. The 1/4 inch is on the microscope. The canisters in the case are marked on top and bottom: "1/2," "1/5," and "1 In." A note found inside the 1-inch canister states that "The 1 inch objective (a short one) from this box, has been put on microscope 66." It is in Dr. Lewis's hand.
In Collection(s)
Signedon tube: Boston / Optical Works / TOLLES
trade card on case door: BOSTON OPTICAL WORKS · · · / Charles X. Dalton / (Successor to the late R. B. TOLLES) / Manufacturer and Dealer in / Microscopes, Telescopes and Accessories, / 48 HANOVER STREET, ROOM 17, / BOSTON. / Prompt and skillful attention given in repairing Telescopes, Microscopes / Opera Glasses and other Optical Appartaus. / A list of TOLLES OBJECTIVES always on hand.
stamped on upper edge of solid eye piece, hidden by aperture stop cup: TOLLES
engraved on objectives (3): TOLLES
date scratched on top outer edge above screw threads of 1/4 inch objective: 77−12. 23 A
date scratched twice on darkened top edge above screw threads of 1/2 inch objective: 60 x 11 x 18
date scratched on darkened top edge above screw threads of 1/5 inch water objective: 68 x 10 x 28
Inscribedunder stage: 3
ProvenanceErnst-Lewis Collection of Microscopes (inv. no. T-16), Harvard Medical School.
Boston Optical Works
Date: circa 1870
Accessories: 3 Tolles objectives: 1 with 3 fronts; empty can 8/10; 5 Tolles oculars 34 mm dia.: 2 all solid, 2 solid field l. & single eye lens, 1 std.; blue filter; case; key. Also see 1016a: microscope with centerable condenser with diaphragm wheel; and mechanical stage. 1016c: side illumination prism. 1016d, e, f: specialized Tolles objectives.
Object number: 1016b
Carl Zeiss, Optische Werkstätte, Jena
Date: circa 1902
Accessories: oculars (5); objectives (5); microplanar objectives (2); iris diaphragm; abbe condenser; collars and sleeves for photography; parts box; Leitz object micrometer (1308b); cardioid condenser (1308d); immersion oil bottle (1308c) ; Leitz erecting prism (1308e); standing case with key
Object number: 1308a
Edward Marmaduke Clarke
Date: 1838-1840
Accessories: 5 objectives for simple microscope; 2 objectives for compound microscope (1 in can; 1 with lieberkuhn); cup diaphragm with lieberkuhn in brass box; brass box of cover slips; stage forceps; tweezers; 2 live boxes; frog plate; bull's eye; fish tube wire; wrench; chamois; 2 unmounted lenses; 40 prepared slides; standing case; 2 keys.
Object number: 1018
Ernst Abbe
Date: circa 1886
Accessories: oculars (5): 0, 1,2, 3, 4; objectives (7): AA, A, C, D, E, F, 1/12 Homog. Immers. Apert. 1.20; Abbe condenser; disc diaphragms (6); cup diaphragms (3) with frame; articulated substage mirror; cyllindrical wooden box; key; case. See also Leitz camera lucida in small box (1123b) and stage screw micrometer (1123c).
Object number: 1123a
R. & J. Beck
Date: circa 1878
Accessories: oculars (3); eye mask; Beck objectives with cans (2): 1, 1/6 in.; anonymous onjective: 1/15 in homog. im..; tweezers; triple nosepiece; Rousselet-type sliding stage; Abbe condenser; iris diaphgragm; cover slips (2); prescription envelope; instructions; lock parts; standing case with key.
Object number: 1362
Ernst Leitz (company)
Date: circa 1937
Accessories: standard eyepieces (3): 8X P, Periplan. OK 10X, and Periplan. Ok. 25X; wide eyepieces (3): 1, 1, 8X, 10X; objectives (4) in fitted case: 1b 4.3X, 3 10X, P7 62X, P 1/12 oel; waveplates (2); condenser with polarizer; mechanical stage; loupe 6x; box of cover glasses; standing case; key; objective adaptors (4); and watch keys (2)
Object number: 1999-1-0020a
Boston Optical Works
Date: circa 1870
Accessories: 3 Tolles objectives: 1 with 3 fronts; empty can 8/10; 5 Tolles oculars 34 mm dia.: 2 all solid, 2 solid field l. & single eye lens, 1 std.; centerable condenser with diaphragm wheel; mech. stage; side illuminator prism; cabinet.
Object number: 1016a
Robert B. Tolles
Date: 1860-1874
Object number: 1045a-v
Hugh Powell
Date: 1841
Accessories: oculars (2); objectives (3): 1/2, 1/8, 1/4 with attachable Lieberkühn; stage slide holder; stage fish plate holder; X-Y mechanical stage; fish plate; prepared slides (2); plain glass slides (2) and cover slips (2); box of cover slips; sponge; cotton bag; folding scalpel; fish plate; mount for stage forceps; fishhook; assorted hardware; case
Object number: 1164
Bausch & Lomb Optical Company
Date: circa 1899
Accessories: B&L objectives on triple nosepiece and with cans (3): 1/12, 1/6, 2/3"; Zeiss objective for oil immersion: 40; Leitz mechanical stage; oculars (2): 1, 2; Abbe condensor; immersion oil can; standing case; key; spare stage clips.
Object number: 1351
Edward Bryan
Date: 1866-1879
Accessories: objectives in canisters (3): 1/4, 1, 2 inch; ocular; live box; box of cover slips; prepared slides (5 small, 12 large); ivory slide; 5 powdered specimens in blue paper; bull's eye condenser; stage forceps; standing case with parts drawer.
Object number: 1085
Carl Zeiss, Optische Werkstätte, Jena
Date: circa 1886
Accessories: oculars (2): Leitz 4xB, Winkel Zeiss kl 2; objectives (4): Leitz 7, 1/7a oil immersion, Zeiss B, HI 90 iris, B&L 8mm, 1/5, Grunow 1/6; B&L double nosepiece; parabolic reflector for stage; Abbe condensor with iris-cylinder diaphragm; articulated substage mirror; frame for cup diaphragms; cup diaphragms (2); Zeiss-B&L polarizing analyzer A6; Zeiss-B&L vertical illuminator; flat case; key.
Object number: 1044