Jan Marten Kleman (1759 - 1845)

Field(s) of interest: Scientific instruments | navigation | surveying
Gender: male

Born: Zwolle, 1759
Died: Amsterdam, 09-02-1845

Biography:
Jan Marten Kleman started making mathematical, optical, physical, nautical and astronomical instruments from his workshop on the Bergstraat in Amstyerdam, in 1781. In 1800 he moved his firm to the Nieuwendijk, first in 'In de Blauwe Bril' and later to 'In de Groene Bril'. In 1801 his fame had risen even more, and when others started imitating his instruments, Kleman started signing all his instruments. He was a member of the Felix Meritis Society since 1802, and appointed Instrument maker to the Royal Netherlands Navy in 1808. In 1809 his son Bernard joined the firm. In the same year, Kleman won a gold medal at an industrial exhibition ("Nijverheidstentoonstelling") in Amsterdam and his firm received the title Royal ("Koninklijk"). In 1820 Bernard died at a young age. Ten years later, in 1830, the business was taken over by Carel Swebilius, who in 1847 moved it to the Bantammersteeg no.16. In 1840 Kleman made a silver sextant for Prince Willem Frederik Hendrik.

Collections: Museum Boerhaave, Leiden; Universiteitsmuseum, Utrecht; Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; Maritiem Museum, Rotterdam; Noordelijk Scheepvaartmuseum, Groningen; Fries Scheepvaart Museum, Sneek; Gemeentemuseum, Elburg; Kruisherenklooster, Sint Agatha; Adler Planetarium, Chicago, Illinois; The Mariners' Museum, Newport News, Virginia..


Occupations:
Scientific instrument makers firm: 1781 - 1857 (Amsterdam)

Sources:
Fournier, M.,Early microscopes: A Descriptive Catalogue (Leiden 2003).

Mac Lean, J., Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis der Nederlandse instrumentmakerijen in de periode 1781-1881 (de firma’s Kleman en van Emden) (Leiden, 1976).

Clercq, P. de, Nineteenth-century scientific instrument makers (Leiden 1985).

Mörzer Bruyns, W.F.J. ‘Navigational Instruments in the Netherlands during the 19th century: Production, Distribution and Use’, Bulletin of the Scientific Instrument Society nr. 6 (1984) 11-17.

Cittert, P. van, 'Het instrumentarium, door Van Swinden bij de invoering van het Metrieke Stelsel gebruikt', Proceedings van de Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen te Amsterdam 34, no.5 (1931).

Rooseboom, M., Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis der instrumentmakerskunst in de noordelijke Nederlanden (Leiden 1950).

Mörzer Bruyns, W.F.J., 'Lijst van instrumenten in de verzameling van het Nederlandsch Historisch Scheepvaart Museum Amsterdam'. (Amsterdam 1971).

Wittop Koning, D.A., Nederlandse gewichten. Stelsels, ijkwezen, vormenmakers en merken (1970).

Nemnich, Andreas, Original-Beiträge zur eigentlichen Kenntniß von Holland. Tagebuch einer der Kultur und Industrie gewidmeten Reise (Gotta 1809), 375-376.

Morzer Bruyns, W.F.J. 'The Navigating Instruments in the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum'. in: Rittenhouse. 21 (2007) 36, 42.