BIO

Dissertation: N/A

Highest degree: N/A

Fields of interest:

• scientific instruments
• telescopes
• horology

Biography:
Originally trained as a carpenter, Van der Bildt developed himself into the most successful constructor of reflecting telescopes in the Netherlands. He started his career in about 1745 as an assistant at lectures on physics at the Leeuwarden court of Prince William IV of Orange. For the Stadholders' cabinet he constructed an air pump. Shortly afterwards he made his first telescope, and in 1748 he repaired also the clock on the tower of Franeker University. From 1754 until his death in 1791 he worked as amanuensis at this academy. During those years he must have made more than 550 telescopes. His sons and several apprentices continued his work until the early nineteenth century.

Collections: Museum Boerhaave Leiden, Universiteitsmuseum Utrecht, Fries Scheepvaart Museum, Teylers Museum Haarlem, Martena Museum Franeker, Eisinga Planetarium Franeker, Louwman Collection of Historic Telescopes, The Hague.

Residence

• Franeker 1750~ - 1790

Occupation

• Instrument and Telescope maker 1750~ - 1790, Franeker
• Amanuensis natuurkunde 1754 - 1791 - Hogeschool Franeker, Franeker

Education

N/A

Membership

N/A

Provenance

• Wumkes, G.A. 'Het Sneeker Planetarium', De Vrije Fries 21 (1913), 429-436.
• Letter of Jan Pieters van der Bildt to Jean Henri van Swinden (1774, Leiden UB : BPL 755)
• Turner, G. L'E, 'Van der Bildt telescope in Teyler's museum', Bulletin of the Scientific Instrument Society 9 (1986), 13-14.
• Rooseboom, M., Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis der instrumentmakerskunst in de noordelijke Nederlanden (Leiden 1950).
• Boeles, W., Frieslands hogeschool en het rijks athenaeum te Franeker, dl. 1 (Leeuwarden 1887), 422.
• Zuidervaart, H.J., Speculatie, wetenschap en vernuft : fysica & astronomie volgens Wytze Foppes Dongjuma (1707-1778), instrumentmaker te Leeuwarden (Leeuwarden 1995).
• Zuidervaart, H.J. 'Reflecting 'Popular Culture' : The Introduction, Diffusion, and Construction of the Reflecting Telescope in the Netherlands', Annals of Science 61, afl. 4 (2004), 407-452.
• Terpstra, H., Friesche Sterrekonst(Franeker 1981).
• Louwman, P.J.K. & H.J. Zuidervaart, A certain instrument for seeing far. Four centuries of styling the telescope, Illustrated by a selection of treasures from the Louwman Collection of Historic Telescopes (Wassenaar, 2013)
• Scheltema, J., ‘Levensschets van Jan van der Bildt’, in: Geschied- en Letterkundig Mengelwerk, vol. 3, st. 3 (Utrecht, 1823), 225–247
• Bilt, J. van der , ‘Over den Frieschen teleskopenbouwer Jan Pytters van der Bildt (1709–1791)’, Hemel en dampkring 39 (1941), 122–136.

Publications

N/A

Wiki and VIAF

Wiki Data: Q1682129
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/281833396

BIO

Dissertation: N/A

Highest degree: N/A

Fields of interest:

• scientific instruments
• telescopes

Biography:
Johannes (Jan) van der Bildt jr (1736-ca.1780) made reflecting telescopes. He was the eldest son and apprentice of Jan van der Bildt the elder. In 1755 he matriculated from Franeker University. In 1762 he married Ruyrdtje Eekes Blijsma from Arum. Two years later they moved to Bolsward, but returned to Franeker in 1767. After about 1768 Johannes started to make his own instruments, the highest number known for a telescope made by him is no. 63 (in Museum Boerhaave, Leiden).

Collections: Museum Boerhaave, Leiden, Universiteitsmuseum, Utrecht, Observatory Sonnenburgh Utrecht, Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam, Fries Scheepvaart Museum, Sneek, Sterrenkundig Laboratorium, Groningen, Louwman Collection of Historic Telescopes, Wassenaar.

Residence

N/A

Occupation

• Telescope maker 1762 - 1764, Franeker
• Telescope maker  - [1767..], Franeker
• Telescope maker 1764, Bolsward

Education

N/A

Membership

N/A

Provenance

• 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 te Amsterdam'. (Amsterdam 1971), 31.
• Louwman, P.J.K. & H.J. Zuidervaart, A certain instrument for seeing far. Four centuries of styling the telescope, Illustrated by a selection of treasures from the Louwman Collection of Historic Telescopes. (Wassenaar, 2013)
• Zuidervaart, H.J. 'Reflecting 'Popular Culture' : The Introduction, Diffusion, and Construction of the Reflecting Telescope in the Netherlands', Annals of Science 61, afl. 4 (2004), 407-452.

Publications

N/A

Wiki and VIAF

Wiki Data: N/A
VIAF: N/A

BIO

Dissertation: N/A

Highest degree: N/A

Fields of interest:

• telescopes

Biography:
Julius Huf (1852-1922). Founder in 1894 of a factory of 'Civiele en Militaire uitrustingen' (Civil and military equipment) at the Amsterdam Kalverstraat, corner Begijnensteeg. This workshop was well known for its good quality gowns, uniforms and regimentals. In the late 19th century Julius also retailed (English?) telescopes, signing them with his own name.

Collection: a telescope signed 'Julius Huf | Amsterdam | No. 58' was found at the old Leiden Observatory in 2015.

Residence

N/A

Occupation

• Retailer of scientific instruments and military equipment 1894 - 1922, Amsterdam

Education

N/A

Membership

N/A

Provenance

• Advertentie in De Telegraaf 9 juli 1894

Publications

N/A

Wiki and VIAF

Wiki Data: N/A
VIAF: N/A

BIO

Dissertation: N/A

Highest degree: N/A

Fields of interest:

• astronomy
• scientific instruments
• telescopes
• microscopes

Biography:
Very accomplished instrument maker. In 1663-1664, he developed a compound eyepiece that established him as the outstanding optician of the day. Developed a lens grinding machine and a silent night clock. Cassini made all of his discoveries with Campani telescopes.

Collection: Museum Boerhaave Leiden.

Residence

N/A

Occupation

• instrument maker 1700~, Rome

Education

N/A

Membership

N/A

Provenance

• Archive Museum Boerhaave

Publications

N/A

Wiki and VIAF

Wiki Data: Q3770213
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/50097376

BIO

Dissertation: N/A

Highest degree: N/A

Fields of interest:

• scientific instruments
• telescopes

Biography:
Lubbertus Van der Bildt (1736-ca. 1780) made reflecting telescopes. He was the second son and apprentice of Jan van der Bildt the elder. In 1762 he married Hendrika van Frankena from Sneek. After ca. 1768 he started to make his own instruments. The highest number known on a telescope made by Lubbertus is no. 139 (Collection Ottema Kingma Foundation, now at the Eisinga Planetarium, Franeker). He signed his speculum mirrors on the back side with the letters LVDB.

Collections: Museum Boerhaave Leiden, Universiteitsmuseum Utrecht, Observatory Sonnenburgh Utrecht, Sterrenkundig Laboratorium Groningen, Louwman Collection of Historic Telescopes, Wassenaar.

Residence

• Franeker 

Occupation

• microscope and telescope maker [..1767], Franeker

Education

N/A

Membership

N/A

Provenance

• Rooseboom, M., Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis der instrumentmakerskunst in de noordelijke Nederlanden (Leiden 1950).
• Zuidervaart, H.J., 'Reflecting 'Popular Culture' : The Introduction, Diffusion, and Construction of the Reflecting Telescope in the Netherlands', Annals of Science 61, afl. 4 (2004), 407-452.
• Louwman, P.J.K. & H.J. Zuidervaart, A certain instrument for seeing far. Four centuries of styling the telescope, Illustrated by a selection of treasures from the Louwman Collection of Historic Telescopes (Wassenaar, 2013)

Publications

N/A

Wiki and VIAF

Wiki Data: N/A
VIAF: N/A

BIO

Dissertation: N/A

Highest degree: N/A

Fields of interest:

• scientific instruments
• navigation
• telescopes

Biography:
Jan Rooseboom was an apprentice to Bauke Eisma van der Bildt, during the his time at Buiksloot. Later Rooseboom had a shop near the 'Schreierstoren' in Amsterdam, where he also sold sextants, navigational manuals and charts. Rooseboom started making telescopes after Van der Bildt left for Franeker, in 1806. He exhibited a telescope at the 'nijverheidstentoonstelling' (industrial exhibition) in Amsterdam, in 1809. In later years he is mentioned as an instrument maker for the Felix Meritis Society in Amsterdam, and in 1832 as compass maker in the Oude Teertuinen.

Collections: Museum Boerhaave, Leiden (a telescope, pocket compass and a sextant), Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam (box sextant), Visserijmuseum, Scheveningen (sextant).

Residence

• Amsterdam 1809 - 1835

Occupation

• scientific instrument maker 1809 - 1835, Amsterdam

Education

N/A

Membership

N/A

Provenance

• Rooseboom, M. Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis der instrumentmakerskunst in de noordelijke Nederlanden. (Leiden 1950).
• Mörzer Bruyns, W.F.J. 'Alphabetical list of Dutch instrument makers compiled by W.F.J. Mörzer Bruyns'. (Amsterdam 1986).
• Mörzer Bruyns, W.F.J. 'Lijst van instrumenten in de verzameling van het Nederlandsch Historisch Scheepvaart Museum te Amsterdam'. (Amsterdam 1971).
• Rijk, J.C. Handleiding tot de kennis van den scheepsbouw, ten dienste der jonge officieren en adelborsten van de Koninklijke Nederlandsche Marine. (Rotterdam 1822).
• Amsterdamsche almanak voor koophandel en zeevaart. (Amsterdam 1826 en 1855).
• Algemeene Konst- en Letterbode II (1820), 189.
• Louwman, P.J.K. and H.J. Zuidervaart, A certain instrument for seeing far. Four centuries of styling the telescope, Illustrated by a selection of treasures from the Louwman Collection of Historic Telescopes. (Wassenaar, 2013)
• Kuile, S. ter and W.F.J. Morzer Bruyns, Amsterdamse kompasmakers ca.1580-ca.1850. (Amsterdam, 1999), 95.

Publications

N/A

Wiki and VIAF

Wiki Data: N/A
VIAF: N/A

BIO

Dissertation: De Congelatione (1769)

Highest degree: Ph.D.

Fields of interest:

• mathematics
• physics
• scientific instruments
• telescopes

Biography:
Aeneae was a physicist, mathematician, and designer of scientific instruments. He was educated at Franeker and Leiden Universities. He was trained in the construction of reflecting telescopes by J. van der Bildt and W. Foppes. He lived in Amsterdam from 1767 to 1795 when he moved to The Hague. He wrote a popular book on mathematics and was a Lector in physics at Felix Meritis in Amsterdam 1778. In 1798 he attended a conference in Paris on the introduction of the metric system in Europe with Jan Hendrik van Swinden, one of the Dutch delegates to the meeting.

Residence

• Den Haag 1795 - 1810
• Amsterdam 1767 - 1795

Occupation

• lector of physics 1778 - 1795 - Maatschappij van Verdiensten onder de Zinspreuk ‘Felix Meritis’
• telescope maker 1766~ - 1770~, Amsterdam
• Member of the Comité van de Marine 1795, Den Haag

Education

• student 1761~ - Universiteit Franeker
• student  - Latijnse School Leeuwarden
• Ph.D  - 1769~ - Universiteit Leiden

Membership

• Koninklijk Instituut, eerste klasse
  member 04-05-1808 - 1810
• Provinciaal Utrechtsch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen
  ordinary member; contributing member 28 May 1777 01-05-1777 - 1810
• (Koninklijk) Zeeuwsch Genootschap der Wetenschappen
  member 29-10-1772 - 1810
• Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen - Haarlem
  member 1781 - 1810
• Bataafsch Genootschap der Proefondervindelijke Wijsbegeerte - Rotterdam
  consultant 1791 - 1810
• Maatschappij van Verdiensten onder de Zinspreuk ‘Felix Meritis’
  lector of physics 1778 - 1795
• Gezelschap ter Beoeffening der proefondervindelijke Wijsbegeerte in ’s Hage
  member (physics department) 1800 - 1809~

Provenance

• Swinden, J.H. van, [herdenking van H. Aeneae in de Algemene Vergadering van het Koninklijk Instituut] 1811, p. 12-15.
• Buys, Joh., ‘Rede ter nagedachtenisse van den weledelen heer Henricus Aeneae’, Algemeene Konst- en Letterbode, 1811-I, 133–7.
• Zuidervaart, H.J. & R.H. van Gent, Between Rhetoric an Reality: instrumental practices at the Astronomical and Meteorological Observatory of the Amsterdam Society ‘Felix Meritis’, 1789-1889 (Hilversum 2013).
• Naamen der leden van het Gezelschap, ter beoeffening der proefondervindelijke wysbegeerte (Den Haag 1800).
• Naamen der leden van het Gezelschap, ter beoeffening der proefondervindelijke wysbegeerte (Den Haag 1803).
• Naamlijst der leden van de Maatschappij voor natuur- en letterkunde (Den Haag 1809).

Publications

N/A

Wiki and VIAF

Wiki Data: Q1606108
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/51343996

View obituary (PDF format)

BIO

Dissertation: N/A

Highest degree: N/A

Fields of interest:

• scientific instruments
• telescopes

Biography:
Syds Johannes Rienks (1770-1845) was a microscope and telescope maker from Ferwerderadeel. He developed his skills until he could make a living as a professional instrument maker. Trained by Arjen Roelofs in 1798, he went to Delft in 1805, where he worked for a short time in the scientific instrument factory of Onderdewijngaart Canzius. After the closure of this facory in 1810 he returned to Friesland. In 1819-1825 (by the order of King Willem I) Rienks and his companion Roelofs were commisioned to make two large telescopes for the astronomical observatories in Utrecht and Leiden. However these telescopes appeared to be useless for astronomy. Nevertheless Rienks again moved to Holland in 1826, this time to Leiden, where he stayed until his death in 1845.

Collections: Museum Boerhaave, Leiden (reflecting microscopes and reflecting telescopes - also a mirror signed 'Rienks en Beijerinck'), Universiteitsmuseum, Utrecht, Eisinga Planetarium, Franeker, Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam, Teylers Museum, Haarlem, Louwman Collection of Historic Telescopes, Wassenaar.

Residence

• Delft 1805 - 1810
• Ferwert 1816 - 1822
• Hallum 1810 - 1816
• Berlicum 1822 - 1826
• Leiden 1826 - 1845

Occupation

• microscope and telescope maker 1826 - 1845, Leiden
• telescope maker 1798 - 1805~, Hallum
• telescope maker 1805~ - 1806~, Delft
• microscope and telescope maker 1806~ - 1826, Hallum

Education

N/A

Membership

N/A

Provenance

• Rooseboom, M., Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis der instrumentmakerskunst in de noordelijke Nederlanden (Leiden 1950).
• Bilt, J. van der, De grote spiegelkijkers van Roelofs en Rienks : een episode uit de geschiedenis der Leidse en Utrechtse sterrewachten (1821-1846) (Leiden 1951).
• Bilt, J. van der ‘Over de kleine kijkers en de microscopen van Sieds Johannes Rienks’, in: Hemel en dampkring 50 (1952), 181–191.
• Meerman, J. 'Merkwaardige Berigten wegens drie uitmuntende vervaardigers van optisch en andere physische instrumenten', in: Algemeene Konst- en Letterbode II (Haarlem 1810), 4-9, 19-25.
• Rienks, S.J. 'Afbeelding en beschrijving van eenen nieuwen aardwagen uitgevonden door S.J. Rienks', in: Algemeene Konst- en Letterbode I (Haarlem 1829), 233-235.
• Louwman, P.J.K. & H.J. Zuidervaart, A certain instrument for seeing far. Four centuries of styling the telescope, Illustrated by a selection of treasures from the Louwman Collection of Historic Telescopes (Wassenaar, 2013)
• Zuidervaart, H.J. 'Reflecting 'Popular Culture' : The Introduction, Diffusion, and Construction of the Reflecting Telescope in the Netherlands', in: Annals of Science 61, afl. 4 (2004), 407-452.
• Spoor, A. ‘Enige metingen en opmerkingen over spiegelkijkers van Rienks, Hommema en Heidanus’, in: De Vrije Fries, 41 (1953), 108–111.

Publications

N/A

Wiki and VIAF

Wiki Data: N/A
VIAF: N/A

BIO

Dissertation: N/A

Highest degree: N/A

Fields of interest:

• scientific instruments
• telescopes

Biography:
Instrument maker from Brussels. Dodasme made telescopes.

Residence

N/A

Occupation

• instrument maker 1697~, Brussel

Education

N/A

Membership

N/A

Provenance

• Archive Museum Boerhaave

Publications

N/A

Wiki and VIAF

Wiki Data: N/A
VIAF: N/A

BIO

Dissertation: N/A

Highest degree: N/A

Fields of interest:

• scientific instruments
• telescopes

Biography:
Scientific instrument maker in Hoorn.

Collection: Telescope known signed: 'W.J. Laurens te Hoorn'

Residence

• Hoorn 

Occupation

• telescope maker , Hoorn

Education

N/A

Membership

N/A

Provenance

• Mörzer Bruyns, W.F.J., Alphabetical list of Dutch instrument makers compiled by W.F.J. Mörzer Bruyns (Amsterdam 1986).

Publications

N/A

Wiki and VIAF

Wiki Data: N/A
VIAF: N/A