Jan van Musschenbroek (1687 - 1748)

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

Born: Leiden, 09-08-1687
Died: Leiden, 16-09-1748

Biography:
Jan van Musschenbroek was a physical, mathematical, anatomical and surgical instrument maker in Leiden. After the death of his father, Johan van Musschenbroek, Jan took over the workshop. Under his management it reached an absolute top. An unprecedented variety of instruments were offered in a series of priced catalogues. He was a nephew of Samuel van Musschenbroek, and brother of Petrus van Musschenbroek. Jan van Musschenbroek made a large number of instruments for Willem 's Gravesande, who used the instruments for lecture-demonstrations in experiments. He was the first to sell octants in the Dutch Republic.

Collections: Museum Boerhaave, Leiden; Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam.

Occupations:
Instrument maker: 1707 - 1748 (Leiden)

curator of instruments of the Leiden Theatrum Astronomicum: 1708 - 1748 (Leiden)

Sources:
Clercq, P. de, 'Een bijzonder familiestuk. De verrekijker van de Bossche president-schepen mr H B Martini (1693-1776)', Brabants heem 51:2 (1999)

Clercq, P. de and C. de Mooij 'A Remarkable Family Piece: A Hand-Held Telescope from the Musschenbroek Workshop', in: Bulletin of the Scientific Instrument Society 66 (2000).

Clercq, P. de The Leiden Cabinet of Physics: a descriptive catalogue. (Leiden 1997).

Helden, A.C. van 'Theory and Practice in Air-Pump Construction: The Cooperation Between Willem Jacob 's Gravesande and Jan van Musschenbroek', in: Annals of science 52 (1994).

Mörzer Bruyns, W.F.J. Schip recht door zee: de octant in de Republiek in de achttiende eeuw (Amsterdam 2003).

Clercq, P. de At the sign of the oriental lamp: The Musschenbroek workshop in Leiden, 1660-1750 (Rotterdam 1997).

Clercq, P. de 'A Musschenbroek Trade Catalogue in the Library of Sir Hans Sloane', in: Bulletin of the Scientific Instrument Society 70 (2001).

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

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

Crommelin, C.A. 'Leidsche leden van het geslacht Van Musschenbroek', in: Jaarboekje voor geschiedenis en oudheidkunde van Leiden en omstreken (1939).