Frederick Ernest Brandis (1845–1916) was born in Germany, came to the
United States in 1858, worked for Stackpole & Brother for a few years, and opened his own instrument shop in 1871. The firm became F. Brandis & Co. in 1875, F. E. Brandis, Sons & Co. in 1890, and Brandis & Sons, Inc. in 1916. The Pioneer Instrument Company purchased control of the Brandis firm in 1922, and was in turn acquired by the Bendix Aviation Corporation in 1928. The manufacture of Brandis instruments ceased in 1932.
Ref: Charles E. Smart, The Makers of Surveying Instruments in America
Since 1700 (Troy, N.Y., 1962), p. 14-15.
