Francis Watkins and the Dollond Telescope Patent ControversyAshgate Publishing, Ltd., 28 de juny 2014 - 430 pàgines Francis Watkins was an eminent figure in his field of mathematical and optical instrument making in mid-eighteenth century London. Working from original documents, Brian Gee has uncovered the life and times of an optical instrument maker, who - at first glance - was not among the most prominent in his field. In fact, because Francis Watkins came from a landed background, the diversification of his assets enabled him to weather particular business storms - discussed in this book - where colleagues without such an economic cushion, were pushed into bankruptcy or forced to emigrate. He played an important role in one of the most significant legal cases to touch this profession, namely the patenting of the achromatic lens in telescopes. The book explains Watkins's origins, and how and why he was drawn into partnership with the famous Dollond firm, who at that point were Huguenot incomers. The patent for the achromatic telescope has never been satisfactorily explained in the literature, and the author has gone back to the original legal documents, never before consulted. He teases out the problems, lays out the evidence, and comes to some interesting new conclusions, showing the Dollonds as hard-headed and ruthless businessmen, ultimately extremely successful. The latter part of the book accounts for the successors of Francis Watkins, and their decline after over a century of successful business in central London. |
Des de l'interior del llibre
Resultats 1 - 5 de 88.
... Watkins & smith 7 peter dollond and his Further disputes with opticians 8 new conflicts within the spectaclemakers' company 9 The Unexpected longevity of chester Moor hall 10 one hundred years at charing cross 11 after Watkins & hill ...
... smith's new sea Quadrant, c.1735. Whipple library, University of cambridge optical arrangement for a telescope by caleb smith (1740) simplified dollond family tree John dollond, portrait engraved byJ. poselwhite after Benjamin Wilson ...
... Watkins's trade card, 1775. © The trustees of the British Museum, heal, 105.108 peter dollond's billhead showing the achromatic triplet as his sign, 1763. © The trustees ofthe British Museum, heal, 105.37 Watkins & smith trade card ...
... Watkins. © national Museums ofscotland, t. 1912.53 Gunner's callipers, with tables on both sides, by Watkins & smith, london, c. 1770. Museum of the history ofscience, University of oxford, inv. 41742 Model ofa beam engine by Watkins ...
... smith (london Metropolitan archives), rosemary smith (formerly of the science Museum library, london), emmanuelle russier (Bibliothèque Municipale du puy-en-velay, France), tony simcock (Museum of the history of science, oxford), lorna ...
Continguts
1 | |
3 | |
25 | |
35 | |
From newtons error to halls solution | 73 |
The rise ofJohn dollond and his patent | 101 |
peter dollond and his conflict with Watkins smith | 145 |
peter dollond and his Further disputes with opticians | 175 |
new conflicts within the spectaclemakers company | 205 |
The Unexpected longevity of chester Moor hall | 231 |
one hundred years at charing cross | 253 |
after Watkins hill | 293 |
Articles of Copartnership between Mr Francis Watkins | 331 |
Index | 375 |
Altres edicions - Mostra-ho tot
Francis Watkins and the Dollond Telescope Patent Controversy Mr Brian Gee Previsualització limitada - 2014 |
Francis Watkins and the Dollond Telescope Patent Controversy Brian Gee,edited by Anita McConnell Previsualització limitada - 2016 |
Francis Watkins and the Dollond Telescope Patent Controversy Brian Gee,edited by Anita McConnell Previsualització limitada - 2016 |