Trading under the names "F.Lorch", "L.S.& Co." and " Lorch, Schmidt & Co." Lorch was a German company renowned for its wide range of precision lathes, high-quality watch-making production machinery, specialist watch-repair tools and collets - the latter widely used by other makers needing precision workholding capabilities. What the marketing philosophies were with regard to the three different "brands" is not known with seemingly identical lathes being badged simultaneously with different labels - though after WW2 the "Lorch, Schmidt & Co." label was abandoned. Over the years each of the three names was given to many different types of machine - from tiny watchmaker lathes (sold individually and in boxed sets) through small and medium-sized plain-turning bench lathes (not dissimilar to the American Stark and similar makes) to larger backgeared and screwcutting models. The latter type, with centre heights from 4 to 6 inches (100 to 150 mm) were often listed in catalogues under the Lorch Schmidt heading. Although the larger lathes evolved steadily to follow other makers - more massive castings, heavier headstocks and the ability to taker deeper yet more accurate cuts - the smaller lathes had almost finished their development by 1910. A comparison with Lorch lathes made in the first decade of the 20^th century with those produced in the early 1950s will show surprisingly few changes: apart from some cleaning up of details, larger micrometer dials,  built-on countershaft units and integrated electrical switch gear there was simply no need to alter them, so well had the originals been designed and constructed. However, there was one exception, from the early 1950s a greater effort was put into modernising the design of the watchmakers' lathes.. Unfortunately (or happily), the result has been a bewildering variety of types and sizes  - sometimes designated only by the particular kind of the compound slide rest, or headstock - or combination of such feature. It was also possible for customers to specify their own particular requirements of collet capacity, lever or screw-feed slide rests, screw, lever or capstan-driven tailstock barrels, thread-cutting or thread-chasing equipment, etc., and so create a unique machine for their particular purposes. With such a plethora of models to choose from identifying a particular Lorch model without access to a range of reference resources can be very difficult and, just to confuse matters further, the factory almost never fitted Type or Model name plates to any of their products--although if you look very carefully its sometimes possible to make out a model stamping at the tailstock end of the bed.
Although comparatively rare in the UK - these were very expensive machines when new and usually confined to professional users in experimental and similar workshops - they are relatively common in continental Europe and greatly sought after not only for their inherent mechanical beauty but also because, even today, their superior design and quality of construction makes them a useful machine. With such a plethora of models to choose from identifying a particular Lorch model without access to a range of reference material can be very difficult and, just to confuse matters further, the factory almost never fitted Type or Model name plates to any of their products.
To see how the models were arranged towards the end of production click HERE.
To see the range available from around 1920 to 1950 click HERE.
For examples of earlier lathes from 1885 to 1914 - often badged as Lorch Schmidt - click here
For convenience, the Accessories have been divided into older and newer types (Pre and Post 1950) - this does not, however,  indicate a significant change at that exact time for many of the items, whether produced in 1920 or 1970, performed exactly the same function and their design evolved gradually over many decades..
LAS Precision Screwcutting
Toolmaker's Miniature Lathes: LA, LAN, LLN & LLPN Plain and Screwcutting lathes with leadscrew     
Pre 1950 Accessories     
Thread-chasing Lathes