Possible 1940s Olympus Microscope and Objectives (Updated)

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DinoBoy
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Possible 1940s Olympus Microscope and Objectives (Updated)

#1 Post by DinoBoy » Wed Jan 05, 2022 2:47 pm

Hello, I have this Olympus Microscope which I assume is from the 1940s based on the objectives themselves and the manual (which is in Japanese) that has no Hiragana and some kanji which are no longer used. I bought this microscope through an auction and there are 2 Olympus objectives and one other which is an Eleitz Wetzlar.

I am also in search for another Olympus objective preferably from around the same time (+/- 1930s). If anyone knows where I can find one, please do let me know. That aside, hope you all like the microscope!

I also had to lower the quality of the images so the files would not be too large.
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Last edited by DinoBoy on Thu Jan 06, 2022 11:59 pm, edited 2 times in total.

apochronaut
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Re: 1930s Olympus Microscope and Objectives

#2 Post by apochronaut » Wed Jan 05, 2022 4:55 pm

You may find this interesting.
viewtopic.php?t=1637

https://www.olympus-global.com/company/ ... ge=company

http://www.tiyodaoptical.com/?Katera

Note that the company was called Takachiho Optical Co. until 1949, when it was changed to Olympus Optical Co. Their microscope brands in the 20's and 30's included Asahi and Showa.
Last edited by apochronaut on Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

DinoBoy
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Re: 1930s Olympus Microscope and Objectives

#3 Post by DinoBoy » Wed Jan 05, 2022 5:03 pm

apochronaut wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 4:55 pm
You may find this interesting.
viewtopic.php?t=1637

https://www.olympus-global.com/company/ ... ge=company

http://www.tiyodaoptical.com/?Katera

Note that the company was called Takachiho Optical Co. until 1949, when it was changed to Olympus Optical Co. Microscope brands in the 20's and 30's included Asahi and Showa.
Interesting indeed, I was informed that Japan included Hiragana into their writing roughly during/ after WW2. I wonder why they changed the company name and whatnot. Searching for objectives have been proven to be a pain, especially ones from around that time and from Olympus. I’ll take a read at the link some more after my sleep. It’s currently 2am in Japan so I am gonna head to bed. Anyways thanks for the interesting information.

MichaelG.
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Re: 1930s Olympus Microscope and Objectives

#4 Post by MichaelG. » Wed Jan 05, 2022 5:12 pm

Very nice ‘scope … definitely worth researching !

I presume you are aware of this ‘timeline’ : https://www.olympus-lifescience.com/en/ ... eum/micro/

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

DinoBoy
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Re: 1930s Olympus Microscope and Objectives

#5 Post by DinoBoy » Wed Jan 05, 2022 5:16 pm

MichaelG. wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 5:12 pm
Very nice ‘scope … definitely worth researching !

I presume you are aware of this ‘timeline’ : https://www.olympus-lifescience.com/en/ ... eum/micro/

MichaelG.
Thanks! And yes, I did some digging and found that page. That was unfortunately all I could find at the moment. Still digging for more information and for objectives. This microscope was apparently found in storage in an old house. Who knows how long it was there for.

apochronaut
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Re: 1930s Olympus Microscope and Objectives

#6 Post by apochronaut » Wed Jan 05, 2022 6:00 pm

The overall look of your instrument does not point to the 1930's as a manufacturing date. There are many Japanese instruments that used similar castings or machinings and any of those I have seen that have a similar form with chrome instead of nickel , are from the late 40's on. I'm sure there are actual dates printed on the cabinet information, particularly the upper sheet.
As in China today, it was uneconomical in Japan for most companies to actually mfg. common components such as the base, focusing knobs even stages for inexpensive models. Manufacturing facilities and precious resources were reserved for premium products, whereas student grade scopes were often assembled from off the shelf components made in foundries that could churn out tens of thousands of a widely used item.

carlh6902
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Re: 1930s Olympus Microscope and Objectives

#7 Post by carlh6902 » Wed Jan 05, 2022 7:08 pm

Here is another informative reference:

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/ind ... l-201.html

Carl
--- If you're in the Kansas City area and you need help with an Olympus BH-2 scope, PM me. I love to work on these things ---

apochronaut
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Re: 1930s Olympus Microscope and Objectives

#8 Post by apochronaut » Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:37 pm

That would be an interesting article if it were all true: especially the part about American Optical, which is pure invention or misinterptetation at best. The horseshoe microscope base design goes way back to what is called the Continental stand design. Opposed to this was the American base or more commonly called the Jackson stand. At one time many companies built basically the same microscope on both bases and offered customers a choice. Sometime prior to W.W. I the Continental stand won out and companies dropped the production of the Jackson stand.
For many years after that, various versions of the Continental stand were produced : Jug handled, Centre focus , Side focus, with each model having adherents and detractors. Virtually everyone made a horseshoe based stand with coarse and fine focusing on the side, though. Perhaps the Beck stand was the first patented but most stands were unique enough in some way to be patented in their own right.
The idea that American Optical( Spencer prior to 1932) used a 200 + tube length is nonesense. Back in the 1890's and before they offered several tube lengths by customer choice, with 8 1/2" being one of them but 160mm has been the standard since about 1905 and of all the transmitted optics adhered to that until they converted to infinity in 1961 . Pretty much the same course of events ocurred at Bausch & Lomb but they were late adoptees of the R.M.S. standards, so clung to longer tube length options and wider ocular tube diameters until a little later ; about 1910.
Bausch & Lomb had a long standing effect on Olympus. Obviously, Leitz had a significant influence on the optics of M&Katera as well as Olympus early on , since the 10X objective from each pictured above is a Leitz knockoff. So much so that the optics might well have been made by Leitz, if not the barrels too. However at some point, Olympus adandoned Leitz and their 37mm parfocal objectives. In historical pictures, the model G, first introduced in 1947 was fitted with the black based smooth barreled chrome objectives which became associated with Olympus for the next 25 years, whereas models made earlier on were fitted with Leitz clones. Those black based objectives are the odd 36.65mm parfocal ones. Why would Olympus choose such an odd non-standard parfocal length? Well it just so happens that B & L adopted an odd Imperial objective parfocal length way back around 1910 : 1-7/16" or very close to 36.65mm. Presumably, Olympus lost their Leitz objectives during the war and shortly after and adopted B & L versions instead, which would have been freely available during the 7 years of American occupation .

That's a model G above but has 1930's or possibly earlier objectives fitted.

DinoBoy
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Re: 1930s Olympus Microscope and Objectives

#9 Post by DinoBoy » Thu Jan 06, 2022 3:08 am

apochronaut wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 6:00 pm
The overall look of your instrument does not point to the 1930's as a manufacturing date. There are many Japanese instruments that used similar castings or machinings and any of those I have seen that have a similar form with chrome instead of nickel , are from the late 40's on. I'm sure there are actual dates printed on the cabinet information, particularly the upper sheet.
As in China today, it was uneconomical in Japan for most companies to actually mfg. common components such as the base, focusing knobs even stages for inexpensive models. Manufacturing facilities and precious resources were reserved for premium products, whereas student grade scopes were often assembled from off the shelf components made in foundries that could churn out tens of thousands of a widely used item.
Maybe, I am not sure though. I looked at the Olympus microscope history page and the ones presented seemed similar. Now I’m not a expert so I could be very wrong. Also the manual did lead me to think it’s from around that timeline but like I said I could be wrong.

DinoBoy
Posts: 10
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Re: 1930s Olympus Microscope and Objectives

#10 Post by DinoBoy » Thu Jan 06, 2022 3:09 am

apochronaut wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:37 pm
That would be an interesting article if it were all true: especially the part about American Optical, which is pure invention or misinterptetation at best. The horseshoe microscope base design goes way back to what is called the Continental stand design. Opposed to this was the American base or more commonly called the Jackson stand. At one time many companies built basically the same microscope on both bases and offered customers a choice. Sometime prior to W.W. I the Continental stand won out and companies dropped the production of the Jackson stand.
For many years after that, various versions of the Continental stand were produced : Jug handled, Centre focus , Side focus, with each model having adherents and detractors. Virtually everyone made a horseshoe based stand with coarse and fine focusing on the side, though. Perhaps the Beck stand was the first patented but most stands were unique enough in some way to be patented in their own right.
The idea that American Optical( Spencer prior to 1932) used a 200 + tube length is nonesense. Back in the 1890's and before they offered several tube lengths by customer choice, with 8 1/2" being one of them but 160mm has been the standard since about 1905 and of all the transmitted optics adhered to that until they converted to infinity in 1961 . Pretty much the same course of events ocurred at Bausch & Lomb but they were late adoptees of the R.M.S. standards, so clung to longer tube length options and wider ocular tube diameters until a little later ; about 1910.
Bausch & Lomb had a long standing effect on Olympus. Obviously, Leitz had a significant influence on the optics of M&Katera as well as Olympus early on , since the 10X objective from each pictured above is a Leitz knockoff. So much so that the optics might well have been made by Leitz, if not the barrels too. However at some point, Olympus adandoned Leitz and their 37mm parfocal objectives. In historical pictures, the model G, first introduced in 1947 was fitted with the black based smooth barreled chrome objectives which became associated with Olympus for the next 25 years, whereas models made earlier on were fitted with Leitz clones. Those black based objectives are the odd 36.65mm parfocal ones. Why would Olympus choose such an odd non-standard parfocal length? Well it just so happens that B & L adopted an odd Imperial objective parfocal length way back around 1910 : 1-7/16" or very close to 36.65mm. Presumably, Olympus lost their Leitz objectives during the war and shortly after and adopted B & L versions instead, which would have been freely available during the 7 years of American occupation .

That's a model G above but has 1930's or possibly earlier objectives fitted.
I see, which article are you referring to?

apochronaut
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Re: 1930s Olympus Microscope and Objectives

#11 Post by apochronaut » Thu Jan 06, 2022 3:33 am

DinoBoy wrote:
Thu Jan 06, 2022 3:09 am
apochronaut wrote:
Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:37 pm
That would be an interesting article if it were all true: especially the part about American Optical, which is pure invention or misinterptetation at best. The horseshoe microscope base design goes way back to what is called the Continental stand design. Opposed to this was the American base or more commonly called the Jackson stand. At one time many companies built basically the same microscope on both bases and offered customers a choice. Sometime prior to W.W. I the Continental stand won out and companies dropped the production of the Jackson stand.
For many years after that, various versions of the Continental stand were produced : Jug handled, Centre focus , Side focus, with each model having adherents and detractors. Virtually everyone made a horseshoe based stand with coarse and fine focusing on the side, though. Perhaps the Beck stand was the first patented but most stands were unique enough in some way to be patented in their own right.
The idea that American Optical( Spencer prior to 1932) used a 200 + tube length is nonesense. Back in the 1890's and before they offered several tube lengths by customer choice, with 8 1/2" being one of them but 160mm has been the standard since about 1905 and of all the transmitted optics adhered to that until they converted to infinity in 1961 . Pretty much the same course of events ocurred at Bausch & Lomb but they were late adoptees of the R.M.S. standards, so clung to longer tube length options and wider ocular tube diameters until a little later ; about 1910.
Bausch & Lomb had a long standing effect on Olympus. Obviously, Leitz had a significant influence on the optics of M&Katera as well as Olympus early on , since the 10X objective from each pictured above is a Leitz knockoff. So much so that the optics might well have been made by Leitz, if not the barrels too. However at some point, Olympus adandoned Leitz and their 37mm parfocal objectives. In historical pictures, the model G, first introduced in 1947 was fitted with the black based smooth barreled chrome objectives which became associated with Olympus for the next 25 years, whereas models made earlier on were fitted with Leitz clones. Those black based objectives are the odd 36.65mm parfocal ones. Why would Olympus choose such an odd non-standard parfocal length? Well it just so happens that B & L adopted an odd Imperial objective parfocal length way back around 1910 : 1-7/16" or very close to 36.65mm. Presumably, Olympus lost their Leitz objectives during the war and shortly after and adopted B & L versions instead, which would have been freely available during the 7 years of American occupation .

That's a model G above but has 1930's or possibly earlier objectives fitted.
I see, which article are you referring to?
The one in post #7.

dtsh
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Re: Possible 1930s Olympus Microscope and Objectives

#12 Post by dtsh » Thu Jan 06, 2022 5:08 am

Here's a link that some may find interesting in regard to the history of early American microscopes. There's an entire chapter on the evolution of Spencer (AO) and page 33 shows a Spencer Continental stand from c1900. It's probably not much help with Olympus though.

http://www.mccroneinstitute.org/uploads ... scopes.pdf

apochronaut
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Re: Possible 1930s Olympus Microscope and Objectives

#13 Post by apochronaut » Thu Jan 06, 2022 3:36 pm

In pictures posted on the Olympus website from the 1930's, all of the microscopes pictured have the same style of focusing knobs. They appear to be of a type of compound with an insert : most likely bakelite. It was not until after W.W. II that they started using solid brass knobs with chrome plating.
There are probably good reasons for this. Japan spent the first half of the 20th century exploiting the rest of the far east for resources because they have almost none themselves. It would have made good technical and economic sense to limit the use of scarce metals in many mfg. goids to areas where they were absolutely necessary. It may have even been policy.
Prior to and during the war Japan colonized and established reeource and mfg. industries in Korea and Manchuria, eventually spreading S.W. after rubber. By the end of the war, the situation changed dramatically and resources, particularly metals, became widely available as many items from the war were scrapped and recycled.
In pictures of microscopes produced by Olympus ftom the post war 1940's, the compound focusing knobs have been replaced with those of solid machined metal : chromed, machined brass.
The earlier ones look unique to Olympus: circa 1947 or so but later on the knob styles mimic or are identical to those of other microscope makers : Kyowa, Fuji, Carton.
One key point in dating Japanese optics is whether made in Japan or made in Occupied Japan is featured on the product. Made in Occupied Japan occurred during the 7 years between 1945 and 1952. I have a Nippon Kogaku made in 1952, that says Made in Japan. Presumably, instruments mfg. for the domestic market would not be stamped in English but then why would they say Olympus Tokyo on them, if there was no intent to export the product.

DinoBoy
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Re: Possible 1930s Olympus Microscope and Objectives

#14 Post by DinoBoy » Thu Jan 06, 2022 11:36 pm

apochronaut wrote:
Thu Jan 06, 2022 3:36 pm
In pictures posted on the Olympus website from the 1930's, all of the microscopes pictured have the same style of focusing knobs. They appear to be of a type of compound with an insert : most likely bakelite. It was not until after W.W. II that they started using solid brass knobs with chrome plating.
There are probably good reasons for this. Japan spent the first half of the 20th century exploiting the rest of the far east for resources because they have almost none themselves. It would have made good technical and economic sense to limit the use of scarce metals in many mfg. goids to areas where they were absolutely necessary. It may have even been policy.
Prior to and during the war Japan colonized and established reeource and mfg. industries in Korea and Manchuria, eventually spreading S.W. after rubber. By the end of the war, the situation changed dramatically and resources, particularly metals, became widely available as many items from the war were scrapped and recycled.
In pictures of microscopes produced by Olympus ftom the post war 1940's, the compound focusing knobs have been replaced with those of solid machined metal : chromed, machined brass.
The earlier ones look unique to Olympus: circa 1947 or so but later on the knob styles mimic or are identical to those of other microscope makers : Kyowa, Fuji, Carton.
One key point in dating Japanese optics is whether made in Japan or made in Occupied Japan is featured on the product. Made in Occupied Japan occurred during the 7 years between 1945 and 1952. I have a Nippon Kogaku made in 1952, that says Made in Japan. Presumably, instruments mfg. for the domestic market would not be stamped in English but then why would they say Olympus Tokyo on them, if there was no intent to export the product.
True there, my mistake. It could be from the 1940s then? The microscope body itself but the objectives are older. That’s what I am guessing right now after looking at the Olympus Microscope Museum page again.

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