Jonathan Cuthbertson (1744 - 1806)

Field(s) of interest: Scientific instruments
Gender: male

Born: Dearham, 1744
Died: Rotterdam, 1806

Biography:
Jonathan Cuthbertson was an English scientific instrument maker (and brother of John Cuthbertson) who moved to Rotterdam in 1774. He designed an air pump and a solar microscope. The latter was later copied by Onderdewijngaart Canzius. Additionally he made mathematical, physical, optical, electrical, hydraulic and mechanical instruments. In 1794 Cuthbertson published a Verhandeling over de Verrekyker . After his death the stock of his workshop was probably bought by Jan Paauw in Leiden.

Collection: Museum Boerhaave Leiden.

Occupations:
instrumentmaker: ~1744 - 1806

Sources:
Hackman, W.D. John and Jonathan Cuthbertson: the invention and development of the eighteenth century plate electrical machine. (Leiden 1973).

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

Fournier, M. Early microscopes: a descriptive catalogue (Leiden 2003).

Paauw, Jan Catalogus van een zoo uitmuntend als fraai kabinet [van] natuur- wis - en sterrekundige werktuigen, […] alles nagelaaten door wijlen den heere Jan Paauw , (Leiden 1804).

Morzer Bruyns, W.F.J. Schip Recht door Zee. (Amsterdam, 2003) 126, 127.

Cuthbertson, Jonathan Verhandeling over de Verrekyker. Behelsende, enige dwaalingen van de onkundige daar over. Hoe of men zy stellen en gebruiken moet. Welke geschikt is tot byzondere gebruiken. Manier- om de vergrootende vermoogen, en volmaaktheid te vinden. En hoe of men weeten kan welke de beste is &c, &c., (s.l.[Rotterdam]), 1794. Only known copy in the Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam.

Peters, H.J.M.W. The Crone Library. (Amsterdam, 1989).