Bausch & Lomb Microscope ID

[Charles]

I have a new purchase on its way and would be interested in which model this is. I'm not very well versed in the different B&L microscope models since there's little on the web concerning the history and models of B&L scopes as there is with others. I'm familiar with the Balplans, Dynazooms and collegiate, but not this one. I see these all the time for sale in different configurations but no identification of what model they are. Even manuals are hard to find for some B&L scopes.

This appears to be the research version of this model since it has a circular rotating stage, four objective turret (although two are AO objectives), 1.4 condenser with oblique attachment. I have seen two sites say this is a model 16033-443 but there must be a common name for it?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/252157330750?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

[75RR]

DDE?
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/ind ... c-dde.html

[apochronaut]

There really is a dearth of information regarding Bausch & Lomb microscopes. That's very odd because at one time, they were the world's largest seller of microscopes.
This one was clearly designed as a research model but has had the original objectives replaced unfortunately. That's a pretty fancy achromat condenser with fine focus , an oblique adjustment and with it's N.A. of 1.4 , it was installed for a reason. B&L made both a 90X N.A. 1.4 apochromat and an N.A. 1.4 61X apochromat , at the time, so likely one or both of those were originals, as well as a 47.5X N.A. .95 and one or both of a 20X N.A. .65 and a 10X N.A. .30. Unfortunately, in universities, objectives get damaged or go missing and are either not replaced or replaced with the incorrect ones, sometimes. Oddly, since it has 3 Spencer achromats in it, someone has had the savvy to install Spencer 10X eyepieces, which work with the existing objectives, well. The originals would have been B&L compens and they would have had severe lateral chromatic aberration with the Spencer achromats, as well as with the one B&L achromat.
The LP designation heading the serial # up means it is a microscope made in 1947.
The condenser has a W.D. marked on it of 8.9 mm., and an unusually thick slide requirement( up to 1.6mm) which might have something to do with the stage having that high platform , above the circular rotating base. Other stages of this type, are usually constructed fairly flat , and the condenser can come right up flush with the stage. I wonder if this was an early type of tissue culture microscope? Odd to have such a high N.A. condenser with such a long W.D.
This is an early low fine focus microscope, for B & L and with the exception of having very small fine focus knobs , appears to be a Dynoptic. It might not have even been called a Dynoptic at the time but that's what it is. B & L used mostly letter designations for their stands, up until such names as Dynoptic and Dynazoom , Balplan came around. There were stands in the 30's and 40's with a CT designation, followed by other letters that designated certain features, such as a binocular head, so this may be one of those but in all ways, except the small brass and chrome plated fine focusers, borrowed from similar, earlier high fine focus stands, it looks like a Dynoptic. All other Dynoptics, I have seen have very large aluminum, fine focus knobs, about 1 1/4" in diameter.

[apochronaut]

DDE?
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/ind ... c-dde.html

The DDE is a completely different microscope, designed in the late 20's. It was the first reversed microscope, and was B & L's research offering for about 20 years. It had a split pillar, so the illuminator could shine through it to a reversed mirror, allowing the operator to face the stage, as with a modern scope.It even had a reversed nosepiece. Spencer used the same principle, with the #8 as well as Steindorff , with the Microbe Hunter.
The DDE , did use the same apochromats , that this one would have used, though.

[75RR]

It had a split pillar...

Now that you mention it it kind of leaps out at one! Sorry for the misleading link.

[Charles]

I got it today and will be cleaning it up and seeing what shape it's in. So far, it looks pretty good and everything moves, some stiff but nothing serious. It is missing part of the slide holder and the mirror. I have some B&L Apos I plan on putting on there, as well as B&L eyepieces and probably a mirror. Will post pictures of it in a day or two.

[Charles]

Got the B&L cleaned up a bit and added some B&L objectives, 10X 0.25, 20X 0.95 APO, 43X 0.65 and 97X 1.30 with iris and with a substage light was able to check out all the functions. The IPD works nicely and the coarse and fine focus works well. The objective turret rotates with nice solid stops at each objective, stage works well but still need the right slide clip to hold the slide in place. Condenser moves nicely and so does the fine adjustment on it as well as the iris diaphragm. The oblique moves back and forth and rotates nicely and there is an auxillary lens on the bottom. I know I have a B&L APO 10x, 45X and 90X on a Spence which I want to find to put on this scope.
Some pictures:

B&L Binocular Research.jpg (47.89 KiB) Viewed 12131 times

With Oblique and Aux lens swung out.

B&L Binocular Research Left Front.jpg (45.18 KiB) Viewed 12131 times

Right side

B&L Binocular Research Right.jpg (48.44 KiB) Viewed 12131 times

Front

B&L Binocular Research Front.jpg (44.07 KiB) Viewed 12131 times

[apochronaut]

The old black crackle paint on the entire stage and substage mount, shows a feature, characteristic of transitional models on a lot of scopes.. Newer models were often designed to accept older components, especially higher end accesories, rather than redesign those expensive high end components. They were relatively slow moving items when compared to the those on the bread and butter lab scopes, so often existing stock of those components, dictated the physical design of newer stands.
Crackle paint, was discontinued as a finish some time before this scope was made but clearly they had some older stock around, so the entire substage and stage section made originally for an earlier research stand has been included on this one.
If you use this microscope, you will likely find that the eyepieces undercorrect for several off axis corrections with the apochromats. The original compens eyepieces have a very different look to them, unless I missed a change they made in the barrel design in the early 60's.

Very nice research microscope, Charles. I have a trinocular head for that, which must have been one of the first around.

[Charles]

Thanks Phil,

I also noticed the knobs are concaved chrome plated brass on the coarse focus and condenser knob where as others I see on ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bausch-Lomb-Bin ... SwAYtWQfU- have flat aluminum looking knobs. Also the B&L emblem is smaller than the others. It seems like just like the AO 15/35 models, the change to cheaper materials was occuring at B&L.

The eyepieces are non-B&L compends. Good eye!

[apochronaut]

I have an old B&L research microscope catalogue, somewhere at another place. When I am there, I will see if I can find it. Perhaps there is something about it but I recall the catalogue is 1954 or something like that.

[Charles]

It would be interesting to see what your B&L manual shows.

I found and almost identical B&L on ebay which also shows the crinkle finish, the chrome knobs and small written out B&K logo on the head. It only has a 1.25 NA condenser and three hole objective turret, but everything else seems the same. It has my mechanical slide holder piece I need. That's going to be hard to find.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/181921094012?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT