Johann Ernst Essling (fl. 1705-1743), Berlin.

Essling's first listing in the Adreß-Kalender Berlin 1708, p. 95 [4].
Essling's first listing in the Adreß-Kalender Berlin 1708, p. 95 [4].
Last listing of Essling in the Adreß-Kalender Berlin 1743, p.115 [4].
Last listing of Essling in the Adreß-Kalender Berlin 1743, p.115 [4].

Brass protractor by instrument maker Johann Ernst Essling (*1683;†12.11.1743, Berlin). In 1705 Mechanicus Essling entered into employment with the Berlin Academy of Sciences for constructing new scientific instruments as well as repairing their existing instruments. In 1718 Essling furnished the Academy with an instrument for drawing ovals for 15 Thalers, as well as a compass for 30 Thalers, and in 1727 he billed the Academy 81 Thalers for repairs to a quadrant [2]. 

 

 

Under the maker's signature J. E. Essling fec. Berolini, there is added 2 Brüder v. Kleist that seems to indicate the original owners, possibly of the Von Kleist Pomeranian Prussian noble family. The protractor measures 128mm at the base and 85mm from the base to the apex.

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[1] Dick, Wolfgang R, Fritze, Klaus; 300 Jahre Astronomie in Berlin und Potsdam, 2000, p.86-87.

[2] The Museum Gustavianum in Uppsala Sweden has a quadrant made by Essling, purchased by Anders Celsius in Berlin in 1733 for 300 crowns. Other preserved instruments by Essling; an interesting semi-circumferentor in the Deutsches Museum Munich, a horizontal sundial in the Stadtmuseum Berlin, and a sundial in the Hermitage Museum St Petersburg.

[3] Adreß-Kalender der Königlich Preußischen Haupt- und Residenz-Städte Berlin und Potsdam 1707-1800.


Ernst August North (fl. 1725-1741), Berlin.

North started working for the Berlin Academy of Sciences in 1734. Adreß-Kalender Berlin 1735, p.100 [4].
North started working for the Berlin Academy of Sciences in 1734. Adreß-Kalender Berlin 1735, p.100 [4].
North's first listing in the Adreß-Kalender Berlin 1728, p. 101 [4].
North's first listing in the Adreß-Kalender Berlin 1728, p. 101 [4].
By the 1730s, North had become well known as an instrument maker. He contracted a fever which led to his early death in 1741 [1]. He was succeeded by his apprentice Johann Ludwig Koch, who was appointed instrument maker to the Academy in 1742 [3].
By the 1730s, North had become well known as an instrument maker. He contracted a fever which led to his early death in 1741 [1]. He was succeeded by his apprentice Johann Ludwig Koch, who was appointed instrument maker to the Academy in 1742 [3].

German drawing set early 18th century, in a wooden case covered in finely tooled leather. The brass protractor is signed North fecit Berolini. Virtually all of the brass instruments are missing from this set. The brass dividers in the top slot are probably French and not original to this set. The ebony wood diagonal scale is graduated into 26.2mm Rhineland inches (rheinlandische Zoll). The brass protractor measures 133mm at the base and 84mm from the base to the apex. 

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[1] Wöchentliche Nachrichten von gelehrten Sachen auf das Jahr 1741, Google Books.

[2] Actes du XIIe congres international d'histoire des sciences, Section V, 1971, p.273: 

Im folgenden wird die Gruppe der Instrumentenmacher betrachtet, die als Mechaniker oder Optiker der Berliner Akademie der Wissenschaften tätig war und über die etwas Näheres in den Akten des Akademie-Archive Berlin zu finden ist. Es sind dies besonders die Instrumentenmacher Johann Christoff Rembold, Johann Ernst Essling, Johann Michael Dobler, Ernst August North und dessen ehemaliger Lehrling und Geselle Jоhann Ludwig Koch sowie Johann Heinrich Ring. Sie hatte alle eigene Werkstatt und waren nebenher als Offizianten der Akademie tätig. Aus den vorhandenen Archivalien, wie Bewerbungsschreiben, Verkaufsangeboten in gedruckter oder handschriftlicher Form u.a., gehen interessante Einzelheiten hervor. So bezeichnete sich Rembold als "Augsburger", der 1712 das Amt eines optiker der Akademie erhielt und es bis zu seinem Tode innehatte (1723). 

[3] Peter de Clercq; A Note on 18th-century Instruments from Schloss Fürstenstein in Silesia, SIS Bulletin Issue 76 (2003) - Scientific Instrument Society, p.16,18; 

Since 1725 he produced mathematical instruments for the Garde du Corps, a military division of the Prussian army. His apprentice was Johann Ludwig Koch, who also obtained a position as a mechanic of the Academy in 1742. There is a pricelist of North in which he offers mathematical instruments, astrolabes and also models of watermills and cranes. All information from the Archive of the Berlin Academy (I-III-81). 

[4] Adreß-Kalender der Königlich Preußischen Haupt- und Residenz-Städte Berlin und Potsdam 1707-1807. 

[5] 300 Jahre Astronomie in Berlin und Potsdam | Dick, Wolfgang R, Fritze, Klaus, p.88.


Johann Heinrich Ring (fl. 1750-1793), Berlin.

Ring's first listing in the Adreß-Kalender Berlin 1758, p.143.
Ring's first listing in the Adreß-Kalender Berlin 1758, p.143.

The protractor in this drawing set is signed Ring a Berlin. Johann Heinrich Ring (*1716;†1793) was made honorary member of the Berlin Academy of Sciences in 1753. Friedrich Nicolai in his Beschreibung der königlichen Residenzstädte Berlin und Potsdam (edition 1786) page 574 says of Ring: 

Mathematische, mechanische und physikalische Instrumente, sowohl zur Mechanik als Optik werden sehr gut verfertigt, vom Mechanikus JOHANN HEINRICH RING (in der Charlottenstraße, das zweite Haus von der Mohrenstraße Ecke), welcher unter anderen auch auf Befehl des Staatsministers Herrn von Heinitz Excellenz das Modell einer Boltonischen Dampfmaschine verfertigt hat, welche jetzt im Rothenburgischen Kupferbergwerke im Großen gebaut wird. 

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[1] For period drawing instruments see plates 1 and 2 of Johann Friedrich Penther; Praxis Geometriae (1749 edition), e-rara.ch. 

[2] George Sarganeck; Die Geometrie in Tabellen: also verfasset, dass die Theorie nach ... Berlin 1767, Google Books. See protractor plate V. 

[3] For a schematic location of Ring in Berlin see Anschauliche Tabellen von der gesamten Residenz- Stadt Berlin...1799, Zentral- und Landesbibliothek Berlin. 

[4] Adreß-Kalender der Königlich Preußischen Haupt- und Residenz-Städte Berlin und Potsdam 1707-1800. 

[5] 300 Jahre Astronomie in Berlin und Potsdam | Dick, Wolfgang R, Fritze, Klaus, p.88.


Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Elckner (*1746;†1812)

Obituary of Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Elckner, son of Christoph Friedrich Elckner. Berlinische Nachrichten von Staats- und gelehrten Sachen. 10.12.1812 [DigiPress]
Obituary of Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Elckner, son of Christoph Friedrich Elckner. Berlinische Nachrichten von Staats- und gelehrten Sachen. 10.12.1812 [DigiPress]

Brass protractor signed fait à Berlin par F. Elckner de l' Academie des Arts. The protractor measures 130mm at the base and 84.5mm from the base to the apex. The signature suggests that it was made by either Christoph Friedrich Elckner or his son Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Elckner, both of whom were mathematical instrument makers in Berlin. The elder, C.F. Elckner, born in 1717, was made honorary member of the Akademie der Künste und mechanischen Wissenschaften in 1749. His son J.F.W. Elckner, born in 1746, was awarded the title of Mechanikus der Academie der Wissenschaften in 1803. The latter died in Berlin 8th December 1812.

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[1] Dick, Wolfgang R, Fritze, Klaus; 300 Jahre Astronomie in Berlin und Potsdam, 2000, p.88.

[2] M. l'abbé Rozier / M.J.A. Mongez le jeune; Observations sur la physique, sur l'histoire naturelle et sur les arts, Supplement 1782. Tome XXI, p.202 [Gallica]

[3] Ernst Gottfried Fischer; Einfache Einrichtung der Atwoodischen Fallmaschine nebst Geräthschaft zu Versuchen über das Pendel, Annalen der Physik, Vierzehnter Band, Halle, 1803, pp.1-25 and plate on p.128. [Gallica]

[4] George Atwood; A Treatise on the Rectilinear Motion and Rotation of Bodies: With a Description of Original Experiments Relative to the Subject, Cambridge 1784.


David Friedrich Lewert (*1779;†1863), Berlin.

Berlinische Nachrichten von Staats- und gelehrten Sachen. 21.12.1820 [Digipress]
Berlinische Nachrichten von Staats- und gelehrten Sachen. 21.12.1820 [Digipress]
Königlich privilegirte Berlinische Zeitung von Staats- und gelehrten Sachen. 23.12.1849 [Digipress]
Königlich privilegirte Berlinische Zeitung von Staats- und gelehrten Sachen. 23.12.1849 [Digipress]

David Friedrich Lewert, scientific instrument maker, born 1779 in Berlin, founded a workshop in 1800. His production included a wide range of mechanical and optical instruments as can be seen by an advertisement (left margin) in 1820. In 1851 the company started producing Morse telegraphs and telegraph keys and was renamed Telegraphen-Bauanstalt C.F. Lewert. His son Carl Friedrich Lewert (*1808;†1889) also a scientific instrument maker, continued the thriving business; by the company's 75th anniversary more than 3000 telegraph sets had been produced. In 1893 textile merchant Robert Held (*1862;†1924) acquired the C.F. Lewert company, and the company was renamed C. Lorenz AG. Noteworthy is that up to 1921 the new company continued to supply telegraph devices bearing the name “C. F. Lewert”.

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[1] 75 Jahre Lorenz 1880-1955, Festschrift der C. Lorenz Aktiengesellschaft Stuttgart.

[2] Fliegen und Funktechnik : Die Flugzeugfabrik der Luftwaffe Berlin-Tempelhof 1933–1945, p.45.

[3] Anton A. Huurdeman; The Worldwide History of Telecommunications, John Wiley & Sons 2003, p.81.