Microscope Museum

Collection of antique microscopes and other scientific instruments

Microscope 568 (Pillischer; Best Student Microscope, c. 1865)

Moritz (M.) Pillischer emigrated from Hungary to London, England, in 1845. He opened an independent shop that produced microscopes and other scientific and mathematical instruments in about 1849. Pillischer established his independent optical business at 419 Oxford Street, London. A bit later, before the spring of 1851, he moved to 398 Oxford Street and, in 1853, he moved again to 88 New Bond Street. Moritz’s nephew, Jacob (who adopted the name “James”), moved to London around 1860 to work for his uncle. Jacob later became Moritz’s son-in-law, after marrying one of his daughters. Pillischer did not make his own lenses until 1854, but instead provided French-made objectives with his instruments. Moritz Pillischer was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society in 1855 and joined the Quekett Microscopical Club in 1869. By 1881, Moritz had moved to Hove, Sussex, although he retained ownership of the Pillischer optical business. He handed over ownership of the business to Jacob in 1887 and passed away in his Sussex home in 1893. Jacob joined the Quekett Microscopical in 1895, and the Royal Microscopical Society in 1898. After Jacobs’ death in 1930, the company was inherited by Jacob’s three children, Edward, Leopold, and Bertha, and the business was liquidated in 1947. Microscope 568 is signed with “Pillischer, London” and has the serial number 1265. The instrument can be dated to c. 1865 and should correspond to a version of the Pillischer’s “Best Student Microscope” (Figure 1). One of the focusing knobs is missing from this instrument, as well as one of the knobs allowing to movement of the stage.

Figure 1. The Pillischer’s Best Student Microscope as pictured in an 1873 catalogue of the firm.