Johannes Loots (1666 - 1726)

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

Born: Amsterdam, ~1666
Died: Amsterdam, 1726

Biography:
Johannes Loots was a cross-staff maker in Amsterdam, from 1691-1726, on the Zeedijk, and in the Nieuwe Brugsteeg, 'In de Jonge Lootsman'. He was an apprentice to cross-staff maker Hendrick Doncker. In 1691 Loots was recorded as mathematical instrument maker. In 1693 he was admitted to the booksellers guild and in 1695 he started selling charts; Johannes' oldest preserved cross-staff also dates from that year. After Loots' death, his widow Sara Swigters, and her brother Isaac Swigters, continued the firm until 1743 and 1750 respectively. She advertised as 'Weduwe van wijlen Johannes Loots konst- en kaartverkoopster'. After 1750 Hendrik Mooy purchased the remaining cross-staffs and continued that branch of the firm 'In de Jonge Lootsman'.

Collections: Cultuur-historisch Museum Sorgdrager, Hollum Ameland; Universiteitsmuseum, Utrecht; Fries Museum, Leeuwarden; Westfries Museum, Hoorn; Sjofahrtsmuseet i Goteborg, Sweden; Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg; Royal Observatory, Brussels.

Occupations:
Mathematical instrument maker: ~1691 (Amsterdam)

Book seller: 1693 - 1726 (Amsterdam)

Sources:
Moolen, S. van de Astronomia of Hemelloopkunde : met een bijvoegsel om een maan-, eclips- en planeet-wijzer te berijden. (Amsterdam, 1702).

Mörzer Bruyns, W.F.J. 'The cross-staff ten years later: an update with recently found examples', in: Bulletin of the Scientific Instrument Society 80 (2004).

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