John Jacob Bausch
Encyclopedia
John Jacob Bausch was a German
-American
maker of optical instruments who co-founded Bausch & Lomb
(with Henry Lomb).
Born as Jakob Bausch in Groß Süßen (today part of Süßen
) in Württemberg
, Germany
to Georg Bausch, a baker, and his wife Anna Schmid. Bausch was eighteen when he moved to Bern, Switzerland, where he found work in an optical shop designing camera lenses
. The following year he emigrated to the United States
. Upon his arrival in Rochester, New York
he changed his first name to John.
In 1853, Bausch opened a retail optical shop in Rochester. Bausch sold spectacles, thermometers, field glasses
, magnifier
s and opera glasses
. His friend Henry Lomb invested his savings in Bausch's shop and in 1855 became his partner.
While walking in a New York street, Bausch found a piece of Vulcanite Rubber. He took it back to his workshop and discovered he could make eyeglass frames from the material. At that time frames were mainly made from gold
or European horn.
In 1860, the Bausch & Lomb company built the first machine in America to produce spectacles. Lomb was in charge of sales and Bausch concentrated on manufacturing.
During the American Civil War
, the blockade caused the price of gold and European horn to rise dramatically. This resulted in a growing demand for the Bausch & Lomb spectacles made from Vulcanite.
In 1876, the company began manufacturing microscope
s. Later that year the Bausch & Lomb Optical Company won a distinction at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. The company also produced photographic lenses (1883), spectacle lenses (1889), microtome
s (1890), binoculars and telescopes (1893).
Bausch's company did very well during the First World War as the war created a demand for binocular telescopes, searchlight mirrors, periscopes and torpedo
tube sights.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
maker of optical instruments who co-founded Bausch & Lomb
Bausch & Lomb
Bausch & Lomb, an American company based in Rochester, New York, is one of the world's leading suppliers of eye health products, such as contact lenses and lens care products today. In addition to this main activity, in recent years the area of medical technology has been developed...
(with Henry Lomb).
Born as Jakob Bausch in Groß Süßen (today part of Süßen
Süßen
Süßen is a town in the district of Göppingen in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is located on the river Fils 8 km east of Göppingen, near Stuttgart.-History:...
) in Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to Georg Bausch, a baker, and his wife Anna Schmid. Bausch was eighteen when he moved to Bern, Switzerland, where he found work in an optical shop designing camera lenses
Photographic lens design
The design of photographic lenses for use in still or cine cameras is intended to produce a lens that yields the most acceptable rendition of the subject being photographed within a range of constraints that include cost, weight and materials...
. The following year he emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Upon his arrival in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
he changed his first name to John.
In 1853, Bausch opened a retail optical shop in Rochester. Bausch sold spectacles, thermometers, field glasses
Binoculars
Binoculars, field glasses or binocular telescopes are a pair of identical or mirror-symmetrical telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point accurately in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes when viewing distant objects...
, magnifier
Magnifying glass
A magnifying glass is a convex lens that is used to produce a magnified image of an object. The lens is usually mounted in a frame with a handle ....
s and opera glasses
Opera glasses
Opera glasses, also known as theater binoculars or Galilean binoculars, are compact, low-power optical magnification devices, usually used at performance events, whose name is derived from traditional use at opera performances. Magnification power below 5x is usually desired in these circumstances...
. His friend Henry Lomb invested his savings in Bausch's shop and in 1855 became his partner.
While walking in a New York street, Bausch found a piece of Vulcanite Rubber. He took it back to his workshop and discovered he could make eyeglass frames from the material. At that time frames were mainly made from gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
or European horn.
In 1860, the Bausch & Lomb company built the first machine in America to produce spectacles. Lomb was in charge of sales and Bausch concentrated on manufacturing.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the blockade caused the price of gold and European horn to rise dramatically. This resulted in a growing demand for the Bausch & Lomb spectacles made from Vulcanite.
In 1876, the company began manufacturing microscope
Microscope
A microscope is an instrument used to see objects that are too small for the naked eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy...
s. Later that year the Bausch & Lomb Optical Company won a distinction at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. The company also produced photographic lenses (1883), spectacle lenses (1889), microtome
Microtome
A microtome is a sectioning instrument that allows for the cutting of extremely thin slices of material, known as sections. Microtomes are an important device in microscopy preparation, allowing for the preparation of samples for observation under transmitted light or electron radiation...
s (1890), binoculars and telescopes (1893).
Bausch's company did very well during the First World War as the war created a demand for binocular telescopes, searchlight mirrors, periscopes and torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
tube sights.