Invention - Optical Glass

Ernst Abbe's inventions and discoveries focus mostly on the field of optics:  microscopes, special lenses, object-glasses, refractometer, and prism telescopes. 

Ernst Abbe

Born: January 23, 1840 in Eisenach, Germany

Died: January 14, 1905, age 64 in Jena, Germany

Marriage and Children

1871 to his death - Else Snell Abbe (1844-1914), one child Greta Abbe Unrein (1872-1945).

Ernst Abbe was a social reformer and entrepreneur but mostly he was known for his work in developing optical instruments.  In 1866 at the age of 26, he became research director of the Zeiss Optical Works. By 1886 he invented the apochromatic lens which eliminated primary and secondary distortion.  The company began to sell Abbe's improved microscopes in 1872. 

Carl Zeiss

Owner of Zeiss Optical Works was Carl Zeiss (born September 11, 1816 - died December 3, 1888, age 72 in Germany). He was a scientific instrument maker, lens maker, optician and businessman. In 1849 he married Berta Schatter (b. 1827-d. 1850).  In 1853, he married Ottillie Trinkler (b. 1819-d. 1897).

Zeiss was obsessed with manufacturing optical glass with a quality that was consistent from batch to batch but it was not possible with the current grade of glass products that he was getting from England, France and Switzerland because the glass wasn't the best type to use for microscopes. 

Otto Schott

Abbe and Zeiss met chemist Otto Schott who was skilled in producing small batches of experimental glass but of very high quality.  Otto Schott (b. 1851- d. 1935, age 83) contacted them to offer is expertise of high quality glass and convinced Zeiss and Abbe to move to Jena to conduct experiments. With a grant from the Prussian government, they began two years of experiments in glassworks.

In 1875, Otto Schott became a partner in Zeiss Optical Works and using his formula, they produced high quality optical glass with repeatable composition.   

By 1877 the partners were reaping profits selling lenses for cameras, binoculars and microscopes. Ernst Abbe improved the manufacturing process of optical instruments and went on the lecture circuit. He also wrote over 100 papers on their discoveries.

Schott & Associates Glass Technology Laboratories

In 1884, Abbe, Zeiss, Otto Schott and Zeiss's son Roderick formed the Schott & Associates Glass Technology Laboratories which had merged with the Zeiss Optical Works and concentrated on research and production. They ultimately produced 44 different types of optical glass.  

In 1885, Carl Zeiss suffered a stroke, recovered, then suffered a series of strokes in 1888. He died on December 3, 1888.  Roderick Zeiss withdrew from the partnership shortly after his father's death. 

Ernst Abbe was the driving force behind the company. He was at the top of his profession in optics and became active in labor reform. He introduced the 8-hour workday in 1900, created a pension fund, and set up the Carl Zeiss Foundation in 1889 for research in science. In 1895 he built an image reversal system for his telescopes.  The company owed it success to employing only the highest skilled artisans trained to work with the greatest degree of precision.  Ernst Abbe died on January 14, 1905 in Jena Germany.

Legacy

Otto Schott was the sole survivor of the partners. He expanded his interests to include making laboratory and medical supplies, such as thermometers, glassware, medicinal vials, and tubing.  In the late 1890s he became involved in bringing commercial electricity to Jena, Germany. He held a monopoly on global optical glass until the start of the first World War. 

Schott and Associates made glass vials for the COVID-19 vaccinations.  The Schott Glass Museum in Jena displays the development of glass science featuring the works of Otto Schott.