TOLLES INVERTED CHEMICAL MICROSCOPE

c.1880

(HARVARD COLLECTION)

This is the inverted microscope for chemical work invented by Dr J Lawrence Smith about 1850. It was first constructed by the Grunows, and was offered in their catalog in 1857. As seen here, it was also made by the Boston Optical Works under Robert Tolles. Tolles died in 1883 and the company was then taken over by Dalton, so the signature of Tolles implies that this stand must date earlier than 1884.