Moritz Pillischer was born in Hungary in 1819 and after moving to Great Britain, he became an excellent and renowned optician, well known for the quality of his optics. In 1851, 1855 and 1862 he won medals at prizes organized by the Royal Microscope Society. His establishment was located at 398 Oxford Street from 1851 to 1853 and at 88 New Bond Street from 1854 to 1887. He died in 1893 at the age of 74.
One of the first compound microscopes made by Moritz Pillischer in about 1859 with the serial number 542 engraved on the base. It is the largest model built, robust and very well made, with a large number of accessories, such as tweezers, "bullseye", reflector, micrometer, polarizer, analyzer, camera lucida, darkfield condenser, different eyepieces and 5 objectives, highlighting among them two high-end with correction collar to adjust the focus to the thickness of the preparations. The focus is done by a rack and pinion system and has a mechanism for fine adjustments. The finish is excellent, keeping the original lacquer in an exceptional state. The box where it is housed is very unique, it is also very well preserved, even keeping the key and lock operational, making the whole one of the best Victorian microscopes ever built.
References: Jabez Hogg, "The Microscope"
Brian Bracegirdle, "Microscopical Mounts and Mounters", pag 75
G. L'E Turner,· The Great Age of the Microscope", pag 312, fig 386
Links: http://www.arsmachina.com/pillischer1271.htm