MICROSCOPE-ANTIQUES.COM © 2013-21.
MICROSCOPE SIGNATURES BY WALTER BULLOCH, HIS AGENTS, AND HIS SUCCESSORS
The signatures on the microscopes of Walter Bulloch, his agents, and
successors have varying styles and locations. These signatures also vary in size. This page is a summary of the known variations and may not even now be complete. Images have been redrawn from actual examples for clarity. I have not included examples for which there is no photograph (i.e. only an engraving), as these may reflect some 'artistic license'
of the engraver and not be accurate. Note that some decorative details may or may not be present on all examples; these decorative details are shown in yellow. For actual images of most of these, listed by serial number please see the Bulloch Signature Listing by Serial Number Page, although you can also click on the images on this page to go to an example of the actual signature, if available.
Please note that in most cases I could only approximate the
fonts, but did try to come as close as possible
PLEASE CLICK ON
THE IMAGES FOR A LINK TO AN EXAMPLE OF THE ACTUAL SIGNATURE (where available)
c. 1872 or earlier
This is the oldest signature for a Bulloch Microscope currently known (as of 2021). It is found on the rotating disk on the foot of this microscope, number32.
? 1873
Only found in an engraving in an 1880 article dating the stand to 1873
c.1873
This signature on the foot of an 'A' Stand, numbered 77. It reflects T.F. Nelson as Bulloch's agent for Chicago, a relationship that apparently did not continue, Nelson declaring bankruptcy.
BEFORE 1880
The third oldest signature that I am aware of is on the main optical tube of a 'D' Stand numbered 103. Again only one
example like this is known to me. Note the serial number is part of the signature, a feature that will return in a different style in some later Bulloch microscopes.
BEFORE 1880
The earliest congress stand I am aware of has this signature
on the foot and numbered 115. Note there is no
patent date on this instrument, so this signature likely predates 1880.
Again only one example exactly like this I know of. The serial number
was on the angled distal end of the same toe as the signature, much
like many examples that followed. Note the change in font from the
prior tube signature.
NOs. 121
to 177
AFTER 1879
This general form of signature, with minimal modifications
of the decorations between the words, is found on a Biological No. 1
and also on two examples of the first Single-pillar version of the
Professional model, as well as an example of the Congress model. Serial numbers range from at least 121 to at least
177. It is the first to include the 1879 patent date and implies that
all stands made by Bulloch, which have serial
numbers of 121 or higher, date to after 1879. The signature on number 149, includes most of the the same features, but is slightly different as shown to the right. Number 153, a single-pillar Professional has the same signature as number 149 but with slightly different decorations and the abbreviation 'PATD' is all capital letters.
NOs. 104, and?
AFTER 1891
Potentially confusing are the signatures by E.B. Meyrowitz.
Early on, Meyrowitz became agent for Bulloch in New York. Later, after Bulloch died, Meyrowitz took over the business and constructed microscopes after Bulloch with modifications. It is clear that these were assembled from original Bulloch parts with changes and additions by Meyrowitz. This signature, found on number 104, uses the term 'Bulloch's Patent' and then goes on to quote the incorrect patent date of 1880. Note that this signature does not use the term 'Maker' in regard to Bulloch so it is feasible that some of these microscopes might have been produced while Bulloch was still alive. This microscope has a straight rack and pinion as opposed to the Meyrowitz spiral types. The Bulloch Student model in this collection has dual signatures (both Bulloch and Meyrowitz), straight rack and pinion, and no serial number. See the next entry for presumably later signatures with Meyrowitz claiming to be the 'Maker'.
NOs. 112, 117, 201, 201(2nd), to
211 (?)
AFTER 1891
Stands which Meyrowitz made (mostly with parts from Bulloch's
stock), apparently have their own run of serial numbers. These should
not be confused with those sold by Meyrowitz while Bulloch was still
alive (e.g. those with dual signatures, and possibly number 104). Meyrowitz was Bulloch's agent for New York and vicinity long
before Bulloch died (in November of 1891). From close study of these
stands it appears to the author that the notation indicating Meyrowitz
as the maker was not used while Bulloch was alive, as all so labelled
have more modern features than those made solely by Bulloch. The other
(earlier) microscopes have both Bulloch and Meyrowitz signatures, but
do not show Meyrowitz as the maker and there is one (number 104) which uses 'Bulloch's Patent' but does not use the 'Maker'. It should be noted that the word
'MAKER' and the words 'BULLOCH'S PATENT 1879' are stamped rather than
engraved, and as such, the spacing between Meyrowitz's name and these
other parts of the signature vary from microscope to microscope.
NOs. 301, AND ?
AFTER 1891
This is another variation on the New York Meyrowitz Maker signature. Note the words 'New York' and 'Maker' are in reverse order from the prior, and the words 'Bulloch's' and 'Patent' are on separate lines. In addition, the script signature of Meyrowitz has a slightly greater degree of embellishment. Note also the error in the patent date of 1880 instead of correct 1879. This error was made on several other examples.
NOs. 178 to 251
AFTER 1879
This signature is similar to the next, except for the
arrangements of the letters and the decorations. The biggest difference
is in the word used for the abbreviation of the word 'patented.' In
this example the abbreviation is 'PAT'D.' In the next example, it is simply
'PAT.' Later it returned to a similar but not identical 'PATD.' Also
note that in this one the 'C' of Chicago partly surrounds the next
letter h, whereas this was changed in the next example.
NOs. 260 to
262
AFTER 1879
This signature is similar to the last, except for the
arrangements of the letters and the decorations. The biggest difference is in the word used for the abbreviation of the word 'patented.' In this example the word is 'PAT.' In the prior example, it is 'PAT'D.' Also note now the C is separated from the next letter of the word Chicago, and has two differences; a tiny loop decoration at its top end and a tiny bulge to its left in the center of the 'C'. This signature
is found on a 2-pillar Professional (number 260 in the Wisner
Collection) and also number 262, the Congress
stand in this collection.
NO. 328 and ?
AFTER 1879
This signature, very similar to the preceding differs in the abbreviation for patented, adding 'D to PAT, and the deletion of the little dimple on the outside edge of the middle of the letter 'C' in Chicago.
NOs. 242, and 268 to
282
AFTER 1879
This signature seems to change the emphasis from Bulloch's
name to the patent date. The spacing and location on the toe vary a bit as is evidenced by the differences on number 268 vs number 282.
c. 1885
The signatures on the 'New Student' model are found only on
the arm, one for Bulloch on the right side and one for Meyrowitz
Brothers on the other. I know of no other example and we know this model was made about 1885.
NOs. 351, 374, and 392 to
412
AFTER 1879
This signature, which seems to appear starting in the second
half of the known range of serial numbers, leaves the patent date out completely. As can be seen in the image to the right, the patent date
and serial number on some (but not all) of these instruments are found
on the bottom of the foot. In the cases of where the signature is on the top of the stage, rather than on the foot, the serial number
(without the patent date) is often found on the underside of the stage.
NO. 513 and ???
AFTER 1879
This signature is similar to the prior except now the serial
number is in the center of the Bulloch logo. On the stage the Bulloch
signature appears above and the Meyrowitz signature below the hole on the
stage. No patent date is quoted on this, the only example with this signature I have images of.
NO. 567 and ???
AFTER 1879
This signature is the same as the Bulloch portion of the one above, except that there is no accompanying Meyrowitz signature. Presumably this signature was from a similar time period, but for microscopes sold by Bulloch himself.
NO. 675 and ???
LIKELY 1890-91
This signature, found on the stand with the highest known serial number to our present date, has no patent date in the top of the foot. This may have to do with the tendency of 'old' patent dates to lead people into thinking that the stand is not the most modern available. I even have one stand (a Professional) where the patent date was deliberately removed. It is unknown when Bulloch started to leave out the patent date on the top or even if this was deliberate.