NUMBER 32 (c 1872(?)

This example, with the lowest serial number I am aware of (as of December 2021) is not pictured nor described in any publication that I am aware of. Remembering that Bulloch worked for Pike for many years, we note that this stand strongly resembles one of the Pike models of the 1870s. The differences include the flat equilateral tripod with single pillar, as the Pike was mounted on a Y-shaped tripod with two flat uprights. It is likely that before Bulloch developed his own designs, he based his stands on other models likely including the ones he knew so well from working for Pike.

THE 'SECTOR MICROSCOPE' (c 1873-1877(?) )

This model was described in the JRMS, vol 3 of 1880 pp1067-1068, shown in figure 133, page 1068, but again, was an out of date description, as it is not shown nor described in the 1878 Bulloch Catalog. The article states it was first exhibited in 1873. I am unaware of any surviving example of this stand. I note the engraving shows serial number 52, which might help date that number to 1873 (?).

THE 'LARGE BEST A1 CONGRESS' OR SIMPLY 'CONGRESS' (1877-1891, in various versions).

The first version of the Congress was at first called the 'First Class A1' or 'Large Best Stand-A1' according to the 1878 Catalog. According to RMS publications, it was first made in 1877. The term 'Congress' was used by Bulloch sometime following the Microscopical Congress, (of which Bulloch was a member), after their meeting in August of 1878. Over the years, certain features changed. Although the first version was produced in 1877, his patent for these instruments was that of 1879. These large stands marked the beginning of his trademark double swinging tailpieces, one for the mirror and one for the condenser, which could be moved together as a unit or separately. Another feature, not in the initial model, which Bulloch felt was very important, was that the rotation mechanism for the tailpieces was separated from the stage itself which was supported by a 'saddle fitting.' This feature was not part of the early Congress models, which had the stage in contact with the axle through which the tailpieces rotated. By separating the stage on a saddle, he felt this minimized any vibration or displacement of the stage that other maker's tailpieces would have caused had they been moved with a specimen on the stage. Initially used on the A1-Congress, 'Congress Junior,' and 'A B' ('Diatom')stands, these features, a saddle fitting, and dual tailpieces, were later found on the 'Professional,' 'Professional No 2,' 'Biological No 1,' and 'Biological No. 2' Models. Some of the 'Student' models had a saddle fitting as well. These features were not found on the 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E', 'F', 'Histological', 'Physician's', 'Bulloch-Bastin' stands.   A feature limited to only the Congress and the Professional stands was an angled extra support to the saddle piece for added rigidity; this is not present on the early version shown in the engraving, as it did not have the saddle piece either.

The first version of the Congress featured a Mechanical stage with concentric controls projecting horizontally from under the stage support ring.

The second version also had horizontally oriented controls, but they were integrated into the top of the stage, making it easier to change stages, but still limiting the range of rotation.

The third version, described in an article in the Journal of the RMS in 1882, used an elegant concentric control projecting upward from the stage itself, thereby allowing 360 degree rotation. Bulloch reported that this was derived from a design of Spencer many years earlier.

Another type of stage common on several models was the glass stage with a gliding slide carrier. This depended initially on a single ivory-tipped pressure point to keep it in place and flat on the stage as it was moved about, but later Bulloch made this a two point support for greater stability and less chance of unintended movement. Note that eventually both types of stage were commonly available on the Professional Model and later on the Biological Models as well. Some examples were supplied with both types of stages as was the case for the Professional, serial number 138, and also for the Professional No. 2, serial number 412.

The substage also changed. Initially the front tailpiece, holding the condenser was 'Z-shaped,' and the one holding the mirror was straight and tubular with an additional two articulations. Later they were both Z-shaped and finally in later versions both tailpieces were rectangular and straight. At first the mirror was on a triply articulated arm. later this became a straight tailpiece without extensions, and finally, no later than 1890, had a rack and pinion adjustment for the mirror (separate from the condenser rack and pinion).

Initially announced for the Biological No 2, a condenser fitting that could altogether swing out of the axis, or could have only certain parts swing out, was announced in the Journal of the RMS in 1884, and was incorporated into some of the later Congress stands as well. The version of this swing-out condenser for the Biological No. 2 is pictured in detail on this website on the Meyrowitz 'Bulloch Bacteriological' pages here.

Another change was in the foot. Calibrated rotation of the foot was a feature on all the Congress stands. Initially however, there was no locking knob, a feature soon added.

THE 'CONGRESS JUNIOR' or 'A B' STAND

The second to largest microscope that Bulloch produced, once he started to make the A 1 stand, was shortly thereafter termed the 'Congress Junior' model*, and it is likely the 'A B' stand pictured in the 1878 catalog is indeed that model, as it is described as 'similar to the large stand but smaller.' It is also described in that catalog as the 'Diatom stand' which fits its description as the 'Congress Junior'*. A cross-sectional view shows it to be quite similar to the A 1 stand, except for a thinner stage with gliding slide support instead of mechanical stage. Bulloch reports that this stage could be completely turned upside down, slide underneath, to allow the greatest degree of oblique lighting to be used. The original version of the Congress Junior would also have the same tubular mirror support with double articulating bars at the end.

This was the precursor of the later, two-pillared version of the 'Professional.' One unique feature of the diatom stage was two separate hold down points, each acting on a separate piece of glass on opposite ends of the slide holder; I have not found a surviving example of this exact stand, hence only the diagram is shown here.

* As reported in the Proceedings of the Fourth annual meeting of the American Society of Microscopists of 1881.

THE 'PROFESSIONAL'(c. 1879-1880's (first form) and 1880's- 1891(second form).

There is no mention of the 'Professional Model' in the 1878 catalog. The earliest reference to it I could find was in the Bulloch Price list published in Frey in 1880, the list being dated to 1879. In this description there is only one version of the 'Professional' described, and it is a single-pillar version. This description fits the Professional Model seen on the web page of this site nearly perfectly as seen here.  A later, (much smaller) version of the single-pillar Professional was first advertised about 1889, and was also pictured in the 1890 catalog; this smaller single-pillar version was called the 'Professional No 2' (See the next entry).   In the 1890 catalog the 'Professional Model' had become a double pillar microscope, a smaller version of the Congress, essentially, a second version of the 'Congress Junior' or 'A B' previously mentioned. I would assume that Bulloch realized that calling the A B the 'Junior' made it sound trivial and therefore later called it the 'Professional,' as the large single Pillar professional was phased out.

The only differences between the early version of the 'Professional' and the later 2-pillar version relate to the pillars and foot. There are, of course two pillars on the later version, and although both could rotate on the foot, only the 2-pillar later version had graduations for this rotation, with the footplate slightly changed to accommodate these engraved numbers. The stands are otherwise the same. Either could be monocular or binocular, they had identical construction and could accommodate different (but equal diameter) stages. For a detailed page devoted to only the first version of the professional see here.

'PROFESSIONAL NUMBER 2'(c 1889-1891).

The 'Professional No. 2' was a much smaller and much lighter stand than either the single or double pillar 'Professional.' In fact, as is seen in the illustration to the right, the 'Professional No.2 is identical in every way to the 'Biological No 2' except for a slightly longer tube length and its supporting part of the limb.

Although some have suggested that all single-pillared 'Professional' models should be called 'Professional No 2's,   I strongly disagree. After studying the literature, and the actual measurements of these stands, it is clear that the early single-pillared stand was just as big as the later 2-pillar version, and much larger than the later 'Professional No 2.' The early 'Professional' had identical size components as the later 2-pillar model including overall height, stage size, and thickness of the limb.  The   brace for the saddle fitting was also the same. For additional images, with the Professional No. 2 next to its engravings, and also the much larger early version of the 'Professional' next to the 'Biological No 2 (a stand almost identical to the Professional No 2), see here.   In addition, note the actual description of the Professional from Frey, which refers to it as a 'Professional' and notes it is a single-pillared instrument, and that it is '16 inches high when arranged for use,' which is the exact same size as pictured in the later 1890 catalog for the two pillar version, and far higher than the 13 inch high 'Professional No.2. Also note that the early 'Professional' has a much heavier arm with the triangular buttress (brace) support coming down to the saddle fitting, not found on the 'Professional No. 2.'

THE 'A' OR SMALL BEST STAND (c. 1870'S-1880'S)

The 'A' Stand was Bulloch's third-class microscope at the time of his first catalog in 1878. He advertised it in journals published in 1879. I know of only one example surviving and it was in poor condition and missing its substage. It had an old fashioned nose piece type of fine-focus which would be quite inferior to his A1 and AB instruments.

THE 'B' STAND (c.1870'S-1880'S).

This was the largest of Bulloch's stands with 'Crouch-type' or 'English-type' of curving foot. This foot was also seen on the 'D' and 'E' models. It had the rotating beveled glass stage. The substage could be 'plain or adjustable.' We have no engravings of this scope and no extant examples that I am aware of. In many ways it sounds like it resembles stand 'D' though the exact differences are unclear.

THE 'C' STAND (c. 1870's-1880's).

This stand is mounted on a flat equiaxed tripod with a short single pillar support and a glass stage with gliding slide holder. The substage support is a simple ring attached to the underside of the stage, but this ring was removable to allow oblique lighting. The author would like to thank Allan Wissner for allowing me to share images of this microscope, serial number 87 which was sold in 1876. I would like to point out to the reader the striking resemblance of the 'C' stand of Bulloch to the Zentmayer Army Hospital microscope; it is clear that Bulloch was emulating that stand in the 'C' and that Zentmayer clearly came up with the design first-see this image comparing the two. For more images of this example, see the link to Allan's Website.

THE 'D' STAND (c.1870'S-1880'S)

This stand is very similar to the 'B' model. Because of a lack of engravings and images of the 'B' stand, differences between the two are unknown at this time. There must have been some major difference as the cost between them was quite substantial. The substage support of the D is a simple ring attached to the underside of the stage. Note the long tube-length, nose piece fine focus, and 'English' foot.

THE 'E' STAND (c. 1870's-1880's)

The 'E' is similar to the D model except the stage is rectangular. It is still glass-covered and with a gliding slide-holder. The substage support is a simple ring attached to the underside of the stage. Again there is a short nose piece fine focus and the foot is the 'Crouch' or 'English' type.

THE LITHOLOGICAL MICROSCOPES.(1880-1891)

According to an article published in the American Geologist, April 1889, p225, the first American Petrographic microscope was made by Walter Bulloch in 1880 and had the serial number 139, and is pictured to the left. As can be seen in the photograph in that article, it was identical to the single-pillar Professional model as seen on this website, except for the nosepiece fittings and some of the substage apparatus. The article goes on to describe the evolution of Bulloch's 'lithological' microscopes through at least three changing designs. To my knowledge, no example of any of them is in any public collection and I have never seen one come up for sale. At least one is held in a private collection. The 1890 catalog has two models, the 'Professional Petrological Microscope' on twin pillars, as seen to the right, and the 'Standard Petrological Microscope,' for which there are no images available. It would seem there were may have been three or more different Bulloch petrographic stands through the years. It seems likely that some other petrographic stands still exist in private collections, but I have been unable to locate any so far. Note the 'Professional Lithological (aka 'Professional Petrographical') microscope is built on the same plan.

THE 'NEW BIOLOGICAL', LATER CALLED THE 'BIOLOGICAL NO 1' and after Bulloch died, simply the 'BIOLOGICAL' by Meyrowitz

(c. 1879/80-1890)

This model, as reported in the 1880 Journal of the RMS, was 'a more recent model than the Congress' and 'Patented 1879.'  Since the Congress was reportedly made starting in 1877, it follows that the first Biologicals were made sometime thereafter, probably starting 1879, but no later than 1880. The lowest serial number for the Biological that I have a record for is number 121.  Noting that 139 is known to be from 1880, and also noting the patent date of 1879 is engraved on number 121, a starting date of about 1879 is consistent with this. The Biological's features included a short single pillar on a flat tripod foot, dual swinging tailpieces, a saddle fitting to support the stage (not seen in any model in the 1878 catalog, and not seen in the 1879 patent either), and long-lever fine focus. The tube length was five inches, but with draw tube could extend it to ten. The tailpieces on the biological were usually zig-zag or S-shaped. Although the substage was on a separate tailpiece from the mirror, its adjustment was by manually pushing it up or down; rack and pinion adjustment of the substage was one of the later Biological No. 2's improvements.

THE BIOLOGICAL No 2.
(later, when modified by Meyrowitz, called the 'NEW BULLOCH BACTERIOLOGICAL')

(c. 1880-1890's)

The Biological No 2 was a more complex stand than the Biological No 1. This is unlike the Professional and Histological stands, where the No 2 was less complex. This later stand featured the straight tailpieces. The example seen here, renamed the 'BULLOCH BACTERIOLOGICAL' was one sold by and modified by Meyrowitz, and has diagonal rack and pinion focusing, for instance. See the Bulloch Bacteriological pages for more details about this example. Meyrowitz renamed this modified Biological No. 2, the 'New Bulloch Bacteriological' and it was still offered for sale in the 1894 Meyrowitz Catalog as such, noting that Bulloch had died in 1891.

THE HISTOLOGICAL, (1880'S-1891)

The Histological was one of the simplest of Bulloch's microscopes to use a saddle fitting for the stage to isolate it from the movement of the single swinging substage. It was also the cheapest to have a condenser fitting on the tailpiece. Like the Histological No 2, coarse focus by rack and pinion, fine by long lever screw. A major difference between the two was the ability to rotate the stage and change stages on the Histological model.  In addition, this model had a condenser support which was designed to accept an objective as a condenser, and had a cone diaphragm. A setscrew allowed this condenser fitting to be centered. The mirror was planoconcave, and could move up and down its supporting tailpiece, as well as rotate above the stage for illuminating opaque objects. This histological model was not shown in the 1878 Bulloch catalog.

A Histological Bulloch microscope was mentioned in the American J of Microscopy and Pop Science Vol IV 1879, p99, but this is likely a typographical error as I can find no engraving from that year, and I found several other historical errors where the word 'histological' and 'biological' were used interchangably to refer to Bulloch microscopes. An example of this error is in Watson's report of their microscope 'based on Bulloch's Histological' but the engraving clearly shows it is based on the Biological.

THE HISTOLOGICAL NO 2. (1880'S-1891)

In contrast to the Biological No 2, the Histological No 2, was simpler than the Histological Model. The limb, foot, and upright supports were of painted iron with the optical parts and stage of polished brass. Coarse focus by rack and pinion, fine by long lever screw. The plain stage had a wheel of apertures on its underside. The mirror was planoconcave, and could move up and down its supporting tailpiece, as well as rotate above the stage for illuminating opaque objects.  The stage was fixed, and not isolated by a saddle fitting.

The author is grateful to Mr. Mark Stedman for providing images of this microscope.

THE 'F' OR 'STUDENT' STAND (c. 1870's-1880's)

Bulloch produced at least three different student stands and this one, the 'F model is the earliest we have records of. This microscope is similar to the E stand except the stage is plane with stage clips. Again the nosepiece is fitted for fine focus and the foot is the 'Crouch' or 'English' type. The substage support is a simple ring attached to the underside of the stage. I know of no extant examples.

THE 'NEW STUDENT' MODEL (c. 1885)

This instrument, apparently the second of three or four known 'student' designs, is not listed in the 1878 catalog, the 1890 catalog or the 1879 list from Frey. The only engravings of it appear in the English translation of 'The Microscope in Botany' by Behrens, published in 1885, and in an advertisement in 'The Microscope, an Illustrated Monthly Journal' from the same year. By the 1890 catalog, the Student microscope was a much simpler and cheaper model (see final form below). This microscope arises on a very short single pillar with small uprights at its top, much like the Biological models, but much shorter. A black-painted flat tripod supports the pillar. It has a round but fixed stage, which can accept clips, or as an option the gliding stage slide-carrier as shown here.

There is a shallow dovetail slot machined into the underside of the stage to accept substage apparatus, which would have slid in from the front to back. The stage is supported by a saddle, isolating it from the movement of the swinging tailpiece, making it the cheapest of the microscopes so equipped. This saddle fitting screws to a part of brass of the fine focus casing. The microscope differs from the Histological model in that there is no provision for a condenser fitting on the tailpiece.

Coarse focus is by straight rack and pinion, fine focus by very fine threaded screw acting on the stem. The main optical tube is five inches long, excluding nosepiece and ocular. There is a long draw tube, equal in length to the main tube.

The microscope is notable for the lack of a serial number anywhere on the instrument and also for the location of the signatures of 'W. H. Bulloch, Chicago, Ill.' on the right side of the arm, and 'Meyrowitz Brothers, New York' on the left side of the arm.

This is a very well-made microscope. The example shown here is the only example of this exact model that I have seen.

'STUDENT' MODEL (Third Form, after 1885-c. 1889)

This instrument, apparently the third of four known 'student' designs, is not listed in the 1878 catalog, the 1890 catalog or the 1879 list from Frey. By the 1890 catalog, the Student microscope was a much simpler and cheaper model (see below). You will note the limb on the example shown here is slightly different from the 'New Student' model noted just above this entry, being thicker, but not as heavy as any of the other models to use a saddle fitting. The stand also features the newer straight tailpiece instead of the zig-zag shape found in the 'New Student' above. Like the 'New Student it has no provision for a condenser on the tailpiece. It has a round but fixed stage with clips (these clips are a modern replacement in the top example, original in the bottom example) and a cylinder is affixed to the underside to accept substage apparatus. The stage is supported by a saddle, isolating it from the movement of the swinging tailpiece. Because this model has a long lever fine focus, the attachment of the saddle is much simpler than the microscope shown just above this one. The mirror can be adjusted up or down on its tailpiece. The microscope differs from the Histological model in that there is no provision for a condenser fitting on the tailpiece, the tailpiece is rectangular rather than having a ring shape at its top, and the saddle fitting is anchored to a protruding piece of brass from the limb, which makes the entire limb thinner than the Histological model. An example of this microscope was offered for sale on E bay and the seller has kindly granted me permission to show his photographs of the stand here on my website.   A second example was sold on Ebay in October of 2014 by William Burnett who has kindly allowed me to show his images of that example of the Bulloch Student Microscope (3rd version), a slightly different example of the third form; an image of this other example of the student model is the lower example to the left.   The differences between that example and the other one pictured here are minor and discussed on the Bulloch Student Model 3rd Form pages.

THE STUDENT (Final Form, c 1890-1891)

This simplest of all known Bulloch stands, which replaced his 'New Student' Model shown above, had coarse focusing by pushing or pulling the main optical tube. This then was a much simpler and cheaper instrument at less than half the cost of the 'New Student' ($14 vs $30 with one eyepiece). The limb inclines between uprights arising directly from, and cast into, the foot.  Fine focus was by a fine screw tilting the stage. There was a wheel of apertures attached to the underside of the plain stage. The concave mirror could swing over the stage for illuminating opaque objects. It had a draw tube.  Again, I have yet to find an example.  

THE PHYSICIAN'S, (1880'S-1891)

This all brass instrument is slightly larger than the Histological No 2. The foot was a flat tripod with one of the feet longer than the other two. Like the Histological No 2, coarse focus by rack and pinion, fine by long lever screw. The plain stage had a wheel of apertures on its underside. The mirror was planoconcave, and could move up and down its supporting tailpiece, as well as rotate above the stage for illuminating opaque objects. Note however that the construction is simpler than his more expensive stands with the axis of rotation not isolated from the stage as there is no saddle piece.

THE BASTIN-BULLOCH STAND (c. 1887-?)

First pictured in The Western Druggist, Vol IX, 1887, this is one of the Bulloch microscopes, like the 'New Student' stand which did not appear in Bulloch's Catalogs.   It was subsequently noted in the American Monthly Microscopical Journal of February 1888, and also in the Journal of the RMS.  It combines the typical Bulloch features of an asymmetrical Y-shaped foot and swinging mirror with axis in the plane of the specimen, with the parallel linkage fine focusing popularized by Gundlach, Seibert, Lietz, Zeiss and others. Coarse focusing is by sliding the tube. There is a wheel of apertures disk built into the underside of the stage. Like many of Bulloch's stands, the mirror tailpiece can be rotated so that the mirror is above the stage, to illuminate opaque objects. According to the 'Western Druggist,' these scopes were 'manufactured on the order of the publishers of the Western Druggist' which implies they were also the distributors for these stands. This scope was supposedly developed for pharmacognosists (pharmacists who worked with medicinal plants).   I have not identified a surviving example of this stand to date.