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Taxacom: proper name for type of glass dish

Geoff Read gread at actrix.gen.nz
Fri Nov 14 23:12:48 CST 2025 

Searching for "staining well" is likely to go nowhere these days.  ("my timber is staining well")

Another name which might be more successful in English would be "solid watch glass", although it may now have dropped out of use.
Once upon a time biologists used dishes resembling antique pocket-watch covers to hold their specimens.
Hence "solid watch glass" for a more stable dish in the form of the dished glass block that is sought.

Geoff
--
Geoffrey B. Read, Ph.D.
Wellington, NEW ZEALAND
gread at actrix.gen.nz



>---- Original Message ----
>From: Geoff Read via Taxacom <taxacom at lists.ku.edu>
>To: "Krell,Frank" <Frank.Krell at ColoState.EDU>
>Cc: "taxacom" <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
>Sent: Sat, Nov 15, 2025, 5:42 PM
>Subject: Re: Taxacom: proper name for type of glass dish
>
>Chemie und chemische Technik, deutsch-englisch : mit etwa 62 000 Wortstellen
>
>https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fbwb_T2-FMF-111%2Fmode%2F2up%3Fq%3DBlocksch%25C3%25A4lchen&data=05%7C02%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C7ce95f2a45804fc358f608de2405aeba%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638987805562371126%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C40000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=n504J0vGnzTLHrLNZ6CG%2BTSvxIvrxQeS%2FDcIX5tNIXc%3D&reserved=0
>
>It is a staining well.   Or at least one use is for that.
>
>I have one in black glass, and use it for staining small worms.
>
>Geoff
>--
>Geoffrey B. Read, Ph.D.
>Wellington, NEW ZEALAND
>gread at actrix.gen.nz
>
>
>
>>---- Original Message ----
>>From: "Krell,Frank via Taxacom" <taxacom at lists.ku.edu>
>>To: "taxacom" <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>, "John Grehan" <calabar.john at gmail.com>
>>Sent: Sat, Nov 15, 2025, 4:25 PM
>>Subject: Re: Taxacom: proper name for type of glass dish
>>
>>Hi John,
>>I would like to know that, too. You mean what we call "Blockschälchen" in German. https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conatex.com%2Fbiologie-lehrmittel%2Fmikroskopie-praeparation%2Fpraeparation-faerbung-und-mikroskopierbestecke%2Fblockschaelchen-klar-mit-vertiefung-deckplatte-40-x-40-mm.html&data=05%7C02%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C7ce95f2a45804fc358f608de2405aeba%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638987805562396761%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C40000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Og44Fu4UUkv%2BTPUjAzKbTIZvrjGfKMu4QaeHJMnMBIk%3D&reserved=0 I have never seen them for sale in the US, but they are very common at German universities. Every biology student used them, at least in my time. I never found out how they are called here in the US. Partridge (1927: 52) gives as English equivalent "glass block with polished cavity". https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fia601500.us.archive.org%2F6%2Fitems%2Fin.ernet.dli.2015.502359%2F2015.502359.Dictionary-Of_text.pdf&data=05%7C02%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C7ce95f2a45804fc358f608de2405aeba%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638987805562409909%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C40000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=wkxP%2FTFne9XXPSRgL9o7sfW%2F%2Br0ypbVzDhqtVNjzMfY%3D&reserved=0
>>This is certainly not a trade name. Not sure if we are any further hundred years on. I bought mine in Germany a few years ago after years of unsuccessful search in the US. But if you don't know the name the locals call it, it is difficult to find. Anybody knows the English name? These Blockschälchen are great tools.
>>Frank
>>Dr. Frank-Thorsten Krell
>>Faculty Affiliate/Museum Associate
>>C.P. Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity
>>Colorado State University
>>Department of Agricultural Biology
>>1177H Campus Delivery
>>Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
>>frank.krell at colostate.edu<mailto:frank.krell at colostate.edu>
>>Phone 720.308.0241
>>https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.researchgate.net%2Fprofile%2FFrank-Thorsten-Krell&data=05%7C02%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C7ce95f2a45804fc358f608de2405aeba%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638987805562421238%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C40000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qCaFdmLqcQ8kKQw2gC%2Bhrf34gTupTamn%2FnrY8pZ9nYc%3D&reserved=0
>>https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fscholar.google.com%2Fcitations%3Fuser%3Da5mPMOQAAAAJ%26hl%3Den&data=05%7C02%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C7ce95f2a45804fc358f608de2405aeba%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638987805562432157%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C40000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=FQME2IoRuZGK5Y2mkQxnweAr8BhdqK%2BE%2Boj5bGOBmUg%3D&reserved=0
>>https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dmns.org%2Fscience%2Fresearch%2Fglobal-entomology-research%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C7ce95f2a45804fc358f608de2405aeba%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638987805562443076%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C40000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ORC0s9jS6MflpVu1pilNZN1bgV5zx8TYm8OSWSm2bsk%3D&reserved=0
>>https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dmns.org%2Fscience%2Fresearch%2Fcolorado-entomology-research%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C7ce95f2a45804fc358f608de2405aeba%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638987805562453703%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C40000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=kQUmxHT2osZfXj%2F2pvsVbXdE6rtkEP9zid7tSahdJeE%3D&reserved=0
>>from January or December, tbd.: National Taxonomist with USDA-APHIS at the Smithsonian, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC
>>Regardless of the time I send this email, I do not expect you to read, take any action, or reply to this email outside of your usual working hours.
>>________________________________
>>From: Taxacom <taxacom-bounces at lists.ku.edu> on behalf of John Grehan via Taxacom <taxacom at lists.ku.edu>
>>Sent: Friday, November 14, 2025 7:50 PM
>>To: taxacom <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
>>Subject: Taxacom: proper name for type of glass dish
>>
>>** Caution: EXTERNAL Sender **
>>
>>For examining bug dissections in fluid I have a small 4cm square, 1 cm
>>high, glass block, with a round concave inner surface. Its been more than a
>>decade outside professional environments and I have forgotten the proper
>>name for this dish so I can see about procuring more. I would be grateful
>>for any reminder on the name.
>>
>>Many thanks,
>>
>>John Grehan
>>
>>--
>>https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhepialidsoftheworld.com.au%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C7ce95f2a45804fc358f608de2405aeba%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638987805562466250%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C40000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=1tYhz%2B2sYf0KpJuNU7d7TI3ddGrBMt566bQmZjdfZ%2F0%3D&reserved=0<https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhepialidsoftheworld.com.au%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7C7ce95f2a45804fc358f608de2405aeba%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638987805562477284%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C40000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=rTmZ31keOWZkPJybJhk5907wYejLZ%2ByFneHuh1cEIik%3D&reserved=0> (use the 'visit archived web site'
>>link, then the 'Ghost Moth Research page' link.
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>>Taxacom Mailing List
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>>Nurturing nuance while assailing ambiguity for 38 years, 1987-2025.
>>
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>Nurturing nuance while assailing ambiguity for 38 years, 1987-2025.
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