Tolles-Dalton papers
Date1836-1945
Inventory Number2008-1-0079
ClassificationPapers
Subject
Maker
Robert B. Tolles
1823 - 1883
Maker
Charles X. Dalton
1840 - 1912
Maker
Boston Optical Works
fl. 1867 - 1895
Author
Simeon Burt Wolbach
1880 - 1954
Author
Clarence A. Cheever
1858 - 1946
Author
Harold C. Ernst
1856 - 1922
Author
Elihu Thomson
1853 - 1937
Author
Charles Stodder
fl. 1850 - 1880
Author
Charles A. Spencer
1813 - 1881
Author
Spencer Lens Company of New England
1926 - 1933
Author
Frederic T. Lewis
1875 - 1951
Author
Ephraim Cutter
1832 - 1917
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Dimensions9.5 x 24 x 16 cm, 17.64 lb. (3 3/4 x 9 7/16 x 6 5/16 in., 8 kg)
Material
DescriptionThe inventory file contained a large number of Tolles papers, letters, notes, and photos. These were separated and catalogued as an archival collection under the name of Tolles-Dalton papers.
Among the collection is found the following:
TRADE CATALOGUES
Robert B. Tolles, Canastota, 1857, trade catalogue (1 sheet)
Boston Optical Works / Charles Stodder, Boston, 1871, trade catalogue.
Boston Optical Works / Charles Stodder, Boston, 1873, trade catalogue.
Boston Optical Works / Charles Stodder, Boston, 1879 [with corrections for 1881], trade catalogue.
BUSINESS CARDS / TRADE CARDS
Business card for "R. B. Tolles, Optician. Orders received for Microscopes and Telescopes, By Charles Stodder, No. 75 Kilby Street, -----Boston."
3 different business cards for "Boston Optical Works....Charles X. Dalton, Successor to the late R. B. Tolles." Boston addresses include 30, 40, and 48
Hanover Street.
Trade card for Boston Optical Works / Charles X. Dalton, October 1886. [with memoir of Tolles on the back in Dalton's hand]
PATENTS
Robert B. Tolles, "Optical Instrument," US Patent 13603, 25 September 1855.
Robert B. Tolles, "Improvement in Binocular Eye-Pieces for Optical Instruments," US Patent 56125, 3 July 1866.
Robert B. Tolles, "Improvement in Microscopes," US Patent 198782, 1 January 1878.
Robert B. Tolles, "Improvement in Microscopes," US Patent 198783, 1 January 1878.
PHOTOGRAPHS
from the personal collection of Charles X. Dalton
Robert B. Tolles, Canastota years.
Robert B. Tolles, taken in Washington, DC, February 1874.
Robert B. Tolles, the same as above, 1874, but in a New Orleans frame.
Robert B. Tolles, 4 copies of the 1874 photo
Charles A. Spencer, undated
"The microscope upon which all the famous microscope-objectives of R. B. Tolles were adjusted and tested." Original photograph signed and dated by Charles X. Dalton, November 1905. (2 versions)
Microscope used by Tolles for testing his objectives under construction. (2 prints of the prior item)
Tolles's Stand B compound microscope with mechanical stage having coaxial drive. (2 prints)
Tolles's telescope with equatorial mount, shown standing on a footstool. (3 prints)
FINANCIAL RECORDS
Promissory note signed by Robert B. Tolles, Canastota, N.Y., 1 November 1866, for $1400 drawn on the Canastota National Bank and payable to D. H. Rasbach, Loring Fowler, V. W. Mason, and Milton B. Jarvis.
CORRESPONDENCE
(in chronological order)
Tolles's mother to Robert Bruce Tolles, Winsted, CT, 1836.
Vigilance Committee of the Institute Debating Society to RBT, Hartford, 1839.
Robert B. Tolles to Elisha Tolles (his father), West Exeter, NY, 1843
Robert B. Tolles to Bob Bruce Tolles (cousin), Earlville, NY, 1846
Envelope addressed to "Robert B. Tolles, Esq., Canastota, Madison County, N. Y. To the care of Spencer Daguerotype Apparatus Manufacture," 24 November 1847.
Robert B. Tolles to Royal D. Sweet, M.D. (?), Canastota, 1848.
Charles X. Dalton to Harold C. Ernst, Boston, 1904
Charles X. Dalton to Harold C. Ernst, Boston, 1910 (2 letters)
Adelaide A. Dalton (Mrs. Charles X. Dalton), Somerville, MA to Professor Harold C. Ernst, MD, Harvard Medical School, Boston, and vice versa, 1912-1913. (12 letters)
Correspondence between Harold C. Ernest and others relating to the acquisition of the Tolles microscope and optics belonging to the late Ephraim Cutter, 1917-1922 (approx. 19 items)
Elihu Thomson, Swampscott, MA, to Harold C. Ernst, 6 January 1920, accompanying the gift of a box Thomson made for a "splendid 1/7 Tolles" lens, which he had tested.
Elihu Thomson, Swampscott, MA, to Harold C. Ernst, 10 January 1920, about the resolving power of Tolles objectives. Thomson says he will bring in three stage micrometers he has ruled to show off to Dr. Ernst.
J. O. Jarrell, Spencer Lens Company, Boston, MA to Dr. C. A. Cheever, Hingham, MA, 24 September 1926.
Adelaide A. Dalton (Mrs. Charles X. Dalton), Somerville, MA to Dr. S. B. Wolbach, 1930.
Correspondence between the Department of Commerce, US Patent Office and Frederic T. Lewis, 1939 concerning Tolles patents (3 letters).
B. Wolbach to Frederic T. Lewis, and vice versa, 1945 (2 letters)
Miscellaneous letters between Frederic T. Lewis and others concerning Tolles apparatus in the Ernst-Lewis Collection.
MANUSCRIPTS
Robert B. Tolles, laboratory notebook with notes and calculations relating to tests on objectives belonging to different people, dated from 1868-1871
Charles X. Dalton, biography of Tolles written on the back of his trade card of October 1886.
unsigned schematic diagram of "Spencer Mon-Objective Binocular Prism System," 19 November 1920
unsigned, undated MS by Tolles (?) on microscope optics.
unsigned, undated list of advertisements published by microscope makers.
unsigned, undated MS describing an oil immersion objective of 1/10 inch focus, both made and signed by Elihu Thomson, and given to Dr. Wolbach by Mrs. Thomson.
Miscellaneous notes by Harold Ernst, Frederic T. Lewis, and others concerning Tolles-related apparatus in the Ernst-Lewis Collection.
PUBLICATIONS
Ephraim Cutter, MD, The Primer of the Clinical Microscope (Made at the Boston Optical Works.) (Boston: Boston Optical Works / Charles Stodder, 1879). Copy of pamphlet owned by Prof. H. P. Bowditch.
Ephraim Cutter, MD, "A reporter's notes of the exhibit of Cancer Commission at the Massachusetts Medical Society, Boston, Mass., June 13, 1911" (New York, 1911). With annotations by the author, who inscribed it to Charles X. Dalton.
Science new series, 35 (March 22, 1912), full issue of journal, which includes the obituary of Charles X. Dalton by George William Rolfe. With a manuscript copy of the obituary that came with CHSI inv. 1026.
Among the collection is found the following:
TRADE CATALOGUES
Robert B. Tolles, Canastota, 1857, trade catalogue (1 sheet)
Boston Optical Works / Charles Stodder, Boston, 1871, trade catalogue.
Boston Optical Works / Charles Stodder, Boston, 1873, trade catalogue.
Boston Optical Works / Charles Stodder, Boston, 1879 [with corrections for 1881], trade catalogue.
BUSINESS CARDS / TRADE CARDS
Business card for "R. B. Tolles, Optician. Orders received for Microscopes and Telescopes, By Charles Stodder, No. 75 Kilby Street, -----Boston."
3 different business cards for "Boston Optical Works....Charles X. Dalton, Successor to the late R. B. Tolles." Boston addresses include 30, 40, and 48
Hanover Street.
Trade card for Boston Optical Works / Charles X. Dalton, October 1886. [with memoir of Tolles on the back in Dalton's hand]
PATENTS
Robert B. Tolles, "Optical Instrument," US Patent 13603, 25 September 1855.
Robert B. Tolles, "Improvement in Binocular Eye-Pieces for Optical Instruments," US Patent 56125, 3 July 1866.
Robert B. Tolles, "Improvement in Microscopes," US Patent 198782, 1 January 1878.
Robert B. Tolles, "Improvement in Microscopes," US Patent 198783, 1 January 1878.
PHOTOGRAPHS
from the personal collection of Charles X. Dalton
Robert B. Tolles, Canastota years.
Robert B. Tolles, taken in Washington, DC, February 1874.
Robert B. Tolles, the same as above, 1874, but in a New Orleans frame.
Robert B. Tolles, 4 copies of the 1874 photo
Charles A. Spencer, undated
"The microscope upon which all the famous microscope-objectives of R. B. Tolles were adjusted and tested." Original photograph signed and dated by Charles X. Dalton, November 1905. (2 versions)
Microscope used by Tolles for testing his objectives under construction. (2 prints of the prior item)
Tolles's Stand B compound microscope with mechanical stage having coaxial drive. (2 prints)
Tolles's telescope with equatorial mount, shown standing on a footstool. (3 prints)
FINANCIAL RECORDS
Promissory note signed by Robert B. Tolles, Canastota, N.Y., 1 November 1866, for $1400 drawn on the Canastota National Bank and payable to D. H. Rasbach, Loring Fowler, V. W. Mason, and Milton B. Jarvis.
CORRESPONDENCE
(in chronological order)
Tolles's mother to Robert Bruce Tolles, Winsted, CT, 1836.
Vigilance Committee of the Institute Debating Society to RBT, Hartford, 1839.
Robert B. Tolles to Elisha Tolles (his father), West Exeter, NY, 1843
Robert B. Tolles to Bob Bruce Tolles (cousin), Earlville, NY, 1846
Envelope addressed to "Robert B. Tolles, Esq., Canastota, Madison County, N. Y. To the care of Spencer Daguerotype Apparatus Manufacture," 24 November 1847.
Robert B. Tolles to Royal D. Sweet, M.D. (?), Canastota, 1848.
Charles X. Dalton to Harold C. Ernst, Boston, 1904
Charles X. Dalton to Harold C. Ernst, Boston, 1910 (2 letters)
Adelaide A. Dalton (Mrs. Charles X. Dalton), Somerville, MA to Professor Harold C. Ernst, MD, Harvard Medical School, Boston, and vice versa, 1912-1913. (12 letters)
Correspondence between Harold C. Ernest and others relating to the acquisition of the Tolles microscope and optics belonging to the late Ephraim Cutter, 1917-1922 (approx. 19 items)
Elihu Thomson, Swampscott, MA, to Harold C. Ernst, 6 January 1920, accompanying the gift of a box Thomson made for a "splendid 1/7 Tolles" lens, which he had tested.
Elihu Thomson, Swampscott, MA, to Harold C. Ernst, 10 January 1920, about the resolving power of Tolles objectives. Thomson says he will bring in three stage micrometers he has ruled to show off to Dr. Ernst.
J. O. Jarrell, Spencer Lens Company, Boston, MA to Dr. C. A. Cheever, Hingham, MA, 24 September 1926.
Adelaide A. Dalton (Mrs. Charles X. Dalton), Somerville, MA to Dr. S. B. Wolbach, 1930.
Correspondence between the Department of Commerce, US Patent Office and Frederic T. Lewis, 1939 concerning Tolles patents (3 letters).
B. Wolbach to Frederic T. Lewis, and vice versa, 1945 (2 letters)
Miscellaneous letters between Frederic T. Lewis and others concerning Tolles apparatus in the Ernst-Lewis Collection.
MANUSCRIPTS
Robert B. Tolles, laboratory notebook with notes and calculations relating to tests on objectives belonging to different people, dated from 1868-1871
Charles X. Dalton, biography of Tolles written on the back of his trade card of October 1886.
unsigned schematic diagram of "Spencer Mon-Objective Binocular Prism System," 19 November 1920
unsigned, undated MS by Tolles (?) on microscope optics.
unsigned, undated list of advertisements published by microscope makers.
unsigned, undated MS describing an oil immersion objective of 1/10 inch focus, both made and signed by Elihu Thomson, and given to Dr. Wolbach by Mrs. Thomson.
Miscellaneous notes by Harold Ernst, Frederic T. Lewis, and others concerning Tolles-related apparatus in the Ernst-Lewis Collection.
PUBLICATIONS
Ephraim Cutter, MD, The Primer of the Clinical Microscope (Made at the Boston Optical Works.) (Boston: Boston Optical Works / Charles Stodder, 1879). Copy of pamphlet owned by Prof. H. P. Bowditch.
Ephraim Cutter, MD, "A reporter's notes of the exhibit of Cancer Commission at the Massachusetts Medical Society, Boston, Mass., June 13, 1911" (New York, 1911). With annotations by the author, who inscribed it to Charles X. Dalton.
Science new series, 35 (March 22, 1912), full issue of journal, which includes the obituary of Charles X. Dalton by George William Rolfe. With a manuscript copy of the obituary that came with CHSI inv. 1026.
In Collection(s)
Robert B. Tolles
Date: 1860-1874
Object number: 1045a-v
Robert B. Tolles
Date: circa 1880
Accessories: Tolles ocular, 24.5 mm dia.; Tolles 1/4" objective; no condensor; diaphragm wheel; concave/flat substage mirror; standing walnut case.
Object number: 1294
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
Boston Optical Works
Date: circa 1870
Accessories: 1 Tolles objective with cap : 1/4" 40 deg. , dated 5/12/1868; 2 oculars 24.5 mm dia. ; simple stage with clips; diaphragm wheel; no condensor; substage mirror; objective cap; standing walnut case.
Object number: 1286
Robert B. Tolles
Date: 1860-1874
Object number: 1045d
Boston Optical Works
Date: circa 1880
Accessories: 1 ocular; 1 objective 16mm 0.25 10x B&L
Object number: 1338
Robert B. Tolles
Date: circa 1890
Object number: 2002-1-0046
Boston Optical Works
Date: 1860-1890
Accessories: Three 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.
Object number: 1066
