Carl Friedrich Zeiss (1816-1888)
Carl Friedrich Zeiss was born on 11 September 1816 in Weimar, a city in the German federal state Thuringia. He was the fifth child in a family of twelve children, and was interested from childhood in physics and technology. In 1849, he married Bertha Schatter, who died a year later during the birth of their son, Roderich. In 1853, he remarried Ottilie, with whom he had two daughters and a son. Carl Zeiss died on 3 December 1888 and was buried in Jena.
Zeiss was apprenticed to Friedrich Kömer in Jena. Afterwards, in 1846, at the age of 30, he established a workshop and shop in Jena (Neugasse number 7) for precision engineering and optics. As well as simple microscopes, he also sold other scientific instruments, including as balances. Thanks to the excellent quality of his microscopes and his connections, Jena University became his first regular customer.
Medical doctors and scientists were, however, more interested in compound microscopes than simple ones, because of the higher magnification. As he was unsatisfied with the time-consuming production process, Zeiss brought in Ernst Abbe (1840-1905) from Jena University. Abbe advised separating the production of the objectives from that of the mechanical parts. Abbe’s theories about imaging in microscopy and the “sine condition” and his innovative approach to tools for microscopy resulted in fundamental improvements in Carl Zeiss microscopes and lenses.
Ernst Abbe became co-owner, and retained the company name after Zeiss’ death in memory of his friend. which meant the foundation of the development of the present Zeiss empire. The company prospered until the partition of Germany after World War 2 when the company split also split into Carl Zeiss Jena and Zeiss Opton. It was not until 1990 that the two companies reached an agreement to merge into a single foundation again. Since then, Carl Zeiss has become one of the largest and most respected optical firms in the world.
Simple achromatic dissecting microscope
ZEISS
1870
Compound achromatic microscope, stand IIIb
ZEISS
ca. 1880
Compound achromatic microscope, stand VII
ZEISS
1885-1886
Compound achromatic microscope, stand IX
ZEISS
ca. 1890
Compound achromatic microscope, stand V1
ZEISS
1890
Compound achromatic microscope, stand IVa
ZEISS
ca. 1894
Compound achromatic microscope, stand VIa
ZEISS
1896
Compound achromatic microscope, stand IVa
ZEISS
ca. 1902
Compound achromatic microscope, stand IVb
ZEISS
ca. 1904
Compound achromatic microscope, stand IVa
ZEISS
1904
Compound achromatic microscope, stand III C
ZEISS
1910-1911
Compound achromatic microscope, stand VII
ZEISS
ca. 1910
Compound achromatic microscope, stand I B
ZEISS
1913-1914
Compound achromatic microscope, stand III D
ZEISS
1921
Compound achromatic microscope, probably stand B
ZEISS
ca. 1923
Compound achromatic microscope, type ESC
ZEISS
1925-1932
Compound achromatic microscope, stand ESG
ZEISS
ca. 1932
Compound achromatic microscope, L-stand
ZEISS
ca. 1932
Compound achromatic microscope, ‘Standard Junior KFT’
ZEISS
1955-1960
Compound achromatic microscope, ‘Standard GFL’
ZEISS
1955-1960
Compound achromatic microscope, stand ‘Standart 14’
ZEISS
1964-1970
Compound achromatic microscope, stand PM 1
ZEISS
ca. 1965
Compound achromatic microscope, binocular tube, type Ergaval
ZEISS
ca. 1970
Compound achromatic microscope
ZEISS
1970-1980
Compound achromatic fluorescence microscope, stand Axioskop
ZEISS
ca. 1990
Drawing prism
ZEISS
1900-1930
Prism rotator after Greenough
ZEISS
1900-1920
Additional microscope parts
ZEISS
ca. 1900
Drawing prism after Abbe
ZEISS
ca. 1900
Drawing prism after Abbe
ZEISS
ca. 1910
Polarizer and analyser eye piece after Abbe for research with polarized light
ZEISS
ca. 1910
Achromatic objective lens, type F
ZEISS
1910-1920
Microscope lamp
ZEISS
1920-1935
Cardioid condenser after Siedentopf
ZEISS
ca. 1935
Folding condenser
ZEISS
1950-1970
Microscope camera, type Werra
ZEISS
1960-1965
Transformer for a microscope lamp
ZEISS
1960-1980
Plan apochromat objectives
ZEISS
1975-1990
Butter refractometer after Wolney
ZEISS
ca. 1891
Spectroscope
ZEISS
1930-1940
Monochromator with adjustable filter
ZEISS
1950-1965
info@stichtinghistorischemicroscopie.nl
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2288 ER Rijswijk
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RSIN: 804217361
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IBAN: NL53INGB0007728414
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