Isaac de Graaf (1668 - 1743)

Field(s) of interest: Navigating instruments | cartography
Gender: male

Born: Amsterdam, ~1668
Died: Amsterdam, 09-1743

Biography:
Isaac de Graaf was a cartographer and possibly a cross-staff maker, in 1708 on the Brouwersgracht in Amsterdam. He was appointed draughtsman of charts of the VOC, in 1691, and the official cartographer to the VOC, in 1705; he held this position until his death in 1743. Isaac was succeeded by Johannes van Keulen (2). Isaac sold cross-staffs and compasses to the VOC, in 1731 thirty cross-staffs were returned. It is uncertain if he actually made the cross-staffs and compasses himself.

Collection: No example of his cross-staffs or compasses are on record.

Occupations:
instrument maker: ~1691 - 1743 (Amsterdam)

Sources:
Mörzer Bruyns, W.F.J. The cross-staff: history and development of a navigational instrument. (Amsterdam/Zutphen 1994).

Gawronski, J.H.G. De equipagie van de Hollandia en de Amsterdam: VOC-bedrijvigheid in achttiende-eeuws Amsterdam. (Amsterdam 1996).

Kuile, S. ter and W.F.J. Mörzer Bruyns Amsterdamse kompasmakers ca.1580-ca.1850. (Amsterdam 1999).

Vries, D. de et al, The Van Keulen Cartography 1680-1885. (Alphen a/d Rijn, 2005).