Question: Hand-held magnification for Bulino

Doc Mark · Aug 24, 2014

In several articles about the Bulino being done in Europe, there are accompanying photos showing the engravers using a hand-held "loupe", that has no handle like o "magnifying glass". These are quite large, maybe 2.5-3.0 inches in diameter. They look quite different from the ones you can find on the internet. Does anyone know what magnification these are? How about where they could be bought?

Ron Spokovich · Aug 24, 2014

You might try Edmund Scientific Company, which used to carry a wide array of lenses for a multitude of purposes. I believe Melles-Griot (don't know if the spelling is correct) carries lenses, and prisms. The Schott Glass Company (German) makes a pile of stuff. Let your fingers do the walking, if you have the Internet to use. Sometime, larger, surplus camera and movie projector lenses can be had. Lenses from photocopiers are good, corrected, and true but are small. . .less than an inch. Google in key terms, such as "hand held magnifier lenses", or "surplus lenses", and the like. You should be able to come up with a pile of choices, but you'd have to sift through them. I've noticed almost nothing of what you're looking for, but I haven surfed for such, as of late. I'd think there'd be something out there.

Ron Spokovich · Aug 24, 2014

Did a little checking, and you may want to Google in these sources that carry a wide array of "stuff". Be prepared to spend some time checking on various lenses. I think you should be able to find something, but you may have to mount it in your own cell. . .maybe not. They are: "surplusshed.com"; "amasci.com"; "sciplus.com"; "bmisurplus.com". I'm told eBay has lenses, but sometime the sellers don't know what they have and can't accurately list specs or good info. Another site is "anchoroptics.com". There is a pile of stuff out there.

Doc Mark · Aug 24, 2014

Thanks Ron. Yea, I did search a bit, but without knowing what magnification, focal length, etc. would be best in this situation, I couldn't be as specific in my search's as I would like. If Barry Lee Hands is reading this, I know he spent a lot of time in Italy and Belgium to talk to the masters of Bulino. Maybe he can chime-in!

DanM · Aug 25, 2014

It will depend more on the focal length(distance between lens and object viewed) i.e 10 power loupe has a focal length of around 1.5 inches.

Sam · Aug 25, 2014

This probably won't help you, but I can tell you that Fracassi, Pedersoli, and Pedretti used 10x Zeiss loupes with 13mm lenses. At least that's what they were using when I was there back in the day. So if you're wanted to go 10x with a jewelers loupe, I would suggest the 10x Schneider loupe with 21mm lens as it has a much larger view. It's also metal and not plastic like the Zeiss so you'll have to be really careful not to let it come in contact with delicate bulino.

Doc Mark · Aug 25, 2014

Thanks Sam. I guess I was remembering incorrectly! After going back through my books on the Italian engravers, I saw that they were indeed using very small loupes. I was thinking of an American engraver at the U.S. Mint who had a larger diameter hand-held loupe when working on plates for currency.

The Schneider 10x, 21mm is a pricey little devil! But undoubtedly worth it. There doesn't seem to be any middle ground. Either the very expensive or the unbelievably cheap!

DanM · Aug 25, 2014

There are a number of companies making good loupes at a reasonable price,many choices here...
http://www.kassoy.com/kassoy-hex-loupe.html

monk · Aug 25, 2014

doc i was at my eye doc the other day. i was looking thru a few he had. about 35-40 mm in dia, with a rather decent power level. supplies for ophthalmology aint cheap, but the quality in the lenses they use is a given. i got about a 35 mm dia lens from a junked video camera some time ago. optically good, no c. aberation, vignetting, not bad for a freebie it's still in the aluminum cell, fairly sure it's a doublet. if you run into one at a yard sale and it's only a couple bucks, not a huge investment if you're unhappy with the lens.

bram ramon · Aug 25, 2014

I van only advise you to buy the best when it comes to optics/loupes. Very important if you buy one for engraving you choose a aplanetic one and not a Plano-convex which will deform your vieuw, and is bad for the eyes and typical for cheaper loupes. I have tested some loupes from Schneider, to Zeiss to Eschenbach. For me Zeiss is the best I use the lz36 model which has a 22mm diameter and two lenses 3 times and 6times together 9 times magnification. In the books I see the Italians working with the 10 times magnification the lz10 model a great loupe but to small for me. About Schneider loupes they are very good to but like Sam mentioned they are made out of metal which besides the risk of touching the bulino also are heavy to hold for hours long.
Anyway if you buy a loup I would go for zeiss, expensive but your eyes are worth more!

Dave London · Aug 25, 2014

Doc
I took a Intaligo class this summer from Christopher Madden, head portrait engraver for the US bureau of engraving. He uses a 3 1/2 X B&L loupe about 2 1/2 inch in dia.for the majority of his work. And a 6x that is a hand me down unknown brand. Hope this helps take care

Doc Mark · Aug 25, 2014

Dave, I bet that is the type I saw in an older photo. The size is what I remember. I'm just a bit surprised that it is only 3.5x. Obviously it works for him.

Dave London · Aug 25, 2014

Yes quite amazing work in reverse no less. Chronite has the loupes if I remember right. In case you are looking for one .take care

tundratrekers@mtaonline.n · Aug 26, 2014

I have the B&L .

They are very cheaply made.
The first one came undone at the body joint,basically fell apart.
Before that, as new, had dust between the 2 lenses inside.
They sent another free of charge ,it also had the dust inside.
I see an 4x leica on ebay pretty regularly.
michael

sinan · Sep 4, 2014

I use belomo 10x and Eschenbach 4X, 6X

http://www.beloma.us
http://www.belomo.by/en/about/info

http://www.magnifyingaids.com/Esche..._Loupe?zenid=5fbcbc07a8b48504c69626a9cf36286b

Question: Hand-held magnification for Bulino

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