Bausch & Lomb Optical Company
1853-present
Bausch & Lomb Optical Company was founded in 1853 by two German immigrants, John Jacob Bausch (1828-1926) and Henry Lomb (1830-1908), in Rochester, New York. It started as an eyeglass store and manufacturer of eyeglass frames, especially those made from vulcanite and grew to be an important source of optical instruments in the U.S.
Here is a corporate timeline as a "double biography" :
1828 - Henry Lomb is born in Burgham, Hesse-Kassel, Germany on November 24.
1830 - John Jacob Bausch is born in Gross Suessin, Wurttemberg, Germany on July 25.
1848 - Bausch goes to Berne, Switzerland to take his first job in an optical shop.
1849 - Bausch and Lomb -- unknown to each other -- immigrate to the U.S.
1850 - Bausch tries to find work in Upstate New York.
1853 - Bausch opens retail optical shop in Rochester. He sells spectacles, thermometers, field glasses, telescopes, magnifiers, opera glasses, microscopes, and hour glasses. Most products are imported from Germany.
1854 - Bausch borrows $60 from his friend, Henry Lomb, a cabinet maker, with the promise that if the business grows to a point where he needs a partner, Lomb will be that partner. Edward Bausch, son of J. J. Bausch, is born on September 26.
1855 - Lomb becomes an active partner in the business.
1856 - J. J. Bausch goes to Europe to purchase optical goods and establish relations with producing houses.
Late 1850s - Bausch finds a piece of vulcanite (hard rubber) on the street. He discovers that he can form eyeglass frames from the material.
1860 - First machine for the production of spectacles is built.
1861 - Henry Lomb is made sales manager of company. He enlists in Company C, 13th Regiment of the New York State Volunteers; is promoted to sergeant, lieutenant, and then captain; and is mustered out on May 13, 1863.
The Civil War raises the price of gold (the main material used for eyeglass frames at that time) and blockades prevent the importation of European horn (also used for frames because American horn was too brittle). Therefore sales of Bausch's cheaper vulcanite eyeglass frames soar.
1866 - J. J. Bausch takes charge of manufacturing and Henry Lomb takes over sales in New York City (182 Broadway, corner of John St.). The name of the firm is legally changed to the Vulcanite Optical Instrument Company. Spectacle frames are manufactured under patent agreements from the India Rubber Comb Company and the American Hard Rubber Company.
1867 - 1868 The company begins to make and sell nose frames, loupes, linen provers, pocket microscopes, and magnifiers.
1868 - Relocation of growing business to a one-room factory building Bausch invents and applies the first nosepiece, springs, and guard.
1870 - Power lens grinding is begun on a small scale on machinery designed by Bausch.
1874 - Edward Bausch joins the workshop.
1876 - August 11, company named changed from the Vulcanite Optical Instrument Co. to Bausch & Lomb Optical Company.
1876 - Begin microscope manufacturing.
1876 - Bausch & Lomb microscopes win distinction at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.
1878 - Edward Bausch takes charge of microscope production.
1883 - Photographic lenses are added to line of products.
1885 - Edward Bausch write the book, "Manipulation of the Microscope."
1887 - Edward Bausch invents the Iris Diaphragm Shutter for cameras; granted patent #382858.
1889 - Company ramps up production of spectacle lenses.
1890 - Company begins production of photographic lenses, microtomes, and photomicrographic equipment.
1892 - Zeiss licenses Bausch & Lomb to make and distribute in the U.S. the newly patented anastigmatic photographic lens designed by Doctors Abbe and Rudolph.
1893 - Company begins production of binoculars and telescopes.
1899 - Edward Bausch named vice president of Bausch & Lomb.
1905 - Company merges with George N. Saegmuller, forming Bausch, Lomb, Saegmuller Company.
1908 - Corporate alliance negotiated with Carl Zeiss Jena, which lasts until 1915.
1908 - Bausch & Lomb is incorporated in New York State on March 20.
1908 - Henry Lomb dies on June 13.
1915 - World War I creates a need for Bausch & Lomb binocular telescopes, searchlight mirrors, periscopes, gunsights, torpedo tube sights.
1926 - J. J. Bausch dies on February 24. Edward Bausch becomes president of the company.
1935 - Position of Chairman of the Board is created, with Edward Bausch named first chairman.
1938 - "Bausch & Lomb operates the only glass plant in America devoted exclusively to the manufacture of optical glass." (Source: 1938 annual report)
1944 - Edward Bausch dies on July 30.
1953 - Company's 100th Anniversary.
1958 - March 24: Bausch & Lomb Common stock is first listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
1961 - Bausch & Lomb announce world's largest quartz lens, 36" in diameter, 6" thick, 350 pounds.
1964 - Spacecraft Ranger 7 takes picutres of moon. Three Bausch & Lomb Super Baltar Lenses were modified for use in the television cameras which sent back pictures until the Ranger crashed on the moon.
1966 - Sales top the $100 million mark for the first time. Gratings Lab on St. Paul St. is dedicated.
1969 - September: Application filed with FDA for New Drug Application (NDA) for soft contact lenses.
1971 - March 18, Approval to market soft contact lenses received from the FDA.
1985 - July 25: Glass plant closes.
1989 - June 23: B&L signed an agreement with Levi Strauss & Co. under which Bausch & Lomb will design and introduce a line of sunglasses bearing the Levi's name.
Here is a corporate timeline as a "double biography" :
1828 - Henry Lomb is born in Burgham, Hesse-Kassel, Germany on November 24.
1830 - John Jacob Bausch is born in Gross Suessin, Wurttemberg, Germany on July 25.
1848 - Bausch goes to Berne, Switzerland to take his first job in an optical shop.
1849 - Bausch and Lomb -- unknown to each other -- immigrate to the U.S.
1850 - Bausch tries to find work in Upstate New York.
1853 - Bausch opens retail optical shop in Rochester. He sells spectacles, thermometers, field glasses, telescopes, magnifiers, opera glasses, microscopes, and hour glasses. Most products are imported from Germany.
1854 - Bausch borrows $60 from his friend, Henry Lomb, a cabinet maker, with the promise that if the business grows to a point where he needs a partner, Lomb will be that partner. Edward Bausch, son of J. J. Bausch, is born on September 26.
1855 - Lomb becomes an active partner in the business.
1856 - J. J. Bausch goes to Europe to purchase optical goods and establish relations with producing houses.
Late 1850s - Bausch finds a piece of vulcanite (hard rubber) on the street. He discovers that he can form eyeglass frames from the material.
1860 - First machine for the production of spectacles is built.
1861 - Henry Lomb is made sales manager of company. He enlists in Company C, 13th Regiment of the New York State Volunteers; is promoted to sergeant, lieutenant, and then captain; and is mustered out on May 13, 1863.
The Civil War raises the price of gold (the main material used for eyeglass frames at that time) and blockades prevent the importation of European horn (also used for frames because American horn was too brittle). Therefore sales of Bausch's cheaper vulcanite eyeglass frames soar.
1866 - J. J. Bausch takes charge of manufacturing and Henry Lomb takes over sales in New York City (182 Broadway, corner of John St.). The name of the firm is legally changed to the Vulcanite Optical Instrument Company. Spectacle frames are manufactured under patent agreements from the India Rubber Comb Company and the American Hard Rubber Company.
1867 - 1868 The company begins to make and sell nose frames, loupes, linen provers, pocket microscopes, and magnifiers.
1868 - Relocation of growing business to a one-room factory building Bausch invents and applies the first nosepiece, springs, and guard.
1870 - Power lens grinding is begun on a small scale on machinery designed by Bausch.
1874 - Edward Bausch joins the workshop.
1876 - August 11, company named changed from the Vulcanite Optical Instrument Co. to Bausch & Lomb Optical Company.
1876 - Begin microscope manufacturing.
1876 - Bausch & Lomb microscopes win distinction at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.
1878 - Edward Bausch takes charge of microscope production.
1883 - Photographic lenses are added to line of products.
1885 - Edward Bausch write the book, "Manipulation of the Microscope."
1887 - Edward Bausch invents the Iris Diaphragm Shutter for cameras; granted patent #382858.
1889 - Company ramps up production of spectacle lenses.
1890 - Company begins production of photographic lenses, microtomes, and photomicrographic equipment.
1892 - Zeiss licenses Bausch & Lomb to make and distribute in the U.S. the newly patented anastigmatic photographic lens designed by Doctors Abbe and Rudolph.
1893 - Company begins production of binoculars and telescopes.
1899 - Edward Bausch named vice president of Bausch & Lomb.
1905 - Company merges with George N. Saegmuller, forming Bausch, Lomb, Saegmuller Company.
1908 - Corporate alliance negotiated with Carl Zeiss Jena, which lasts until 1915.
1908 - Bausch & Lomb is incorporated in New York State on March 20.
1908 - Henry Lomb dies on June 13.
1915 - World War I creates a need for Bausch & Lomb binocular telescopes, searchlight mirrors, periscopes, gunsights, torpedo tube sights.
1926 - J. J. Bausch dies on February 24. Edward Bausch becomes president of the company.
1935 - Position of Chairman of the Board is created, with Edward Bausch named first chairman.
1938 - "Bausch & Lomb operates the only glass plant in America devoted exclusively to the manufacture of optical glass." (Source: 1938 annual report)
1944 - Edward Bausch dies on July 30.
1953 - Company's 100th Anniversary.
1958 - March 24: Bausch & Lomb Common stock is first listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
1961 - Bausch & Lomb announce world's largest quartz lens, 36" in diameter, 6" thick, 350 pounds.
1964 - Spacecraft Ranger 7 takes picutres of moon. Three Bausch & Lomb Super Baltar Lenses were modified for use in the television cameras which sent back pictures until the Ranger crashed on the moon.
1966 - Sales top the $100 million mark for the first time. Gratings Lab on St. Paul St. is dedicated.
1969 - September: Application filed with FDA for New Drug Application (NDA) for soft contact lenses.
1971 - March 18, Approval to market soft contact lenses received from the FDA.
1985 - July 25: Glass plant closes.
1989 - June 23: B&L signed an agreement with Levi Strauss & Co. under which Bausch & Lomb will design and introduce a line of sunglasses bearing the Levi's name.
Corporate history of Bausch & Lomb Optical Company can be found at <a href="http://www.germanheritage.com/biographies/atol/bausch.html" target="_blank">website</a>.