MICROSCOPE-ANTIQUES.COM     © 2013-15.

The first 'Lithological' made by Bulloch, made in 1880 as pictured in the American Geologist, 1889. The serial number of that microscope is 139; compare to 138 on the left. Number 138 came with two stages, the mechanical stage and also a second stage, as pictured here, similar to the one pictured on number 139. The substage polarizer assembly is similar but not quite identical on the two stands. The 'Lithological' nosepiece arrangement is lacking on number 138. The stage support on 138 is thinner, allowing more oblique understage lighting, whereas it is thicker on 139, which as a petrographic stand, does not require oblique illumination. All the other features, including the size of the two instruments appear to be virtually identical. Number 138 is also virtually identical to number 132, which sold on Ebay in 2012, but lacked its original case and had a slightly different stage arrangement (on a thick support like the lithological, but the concentric and horizontally-oriented mechanical stage controls were located under the stage). Number 132 had a third type of condenser assembly, though the tailpieces are the same on all three.