Massiivinen merikaukoputki, 1800-l. (A. Chevalier)
490.00 €
Valmistaja: Dr. Arthur Chevalier (1830 – 1874)
Valmistusajankohta: 1800-luvun puoliväli
Portaat: 6
Signeeraus: Kyllä ”Docteur Arthur Chevalier, opt. Galerie de Valois 158. Palais Royal”
Pituus aukaistuna: 120 cm, linssin halkaisija 7 cm
Optiikka: Ehjä, katselupään ensimmäinen linssi puuttuu
Kunto: Hyvä, ajanmukaista kulumaa pinnoissa
Muuta: Poikkeuksellisen kookas (pituutta 120 cm!) ja erittäin upeasti patinoitunut kaukoputki, jossa paksu käsinpunottu nahkainen kädensija. Mukana linssinsuojukset sekä nahkainen kantokotelo. Ainutlaatuinen, uniikki keräily-/sisustusesine. Huom! Katselupään ensimmäinen linssi puuttuu, täydelliseen käyttökuntoon saatto vaatii siltä osin konservointia. Kaukoputken valmistanut Arthur Chevalier (1830-1874), joka oli viimeinen ranskalaisista maailmankuuluista Chevalier-suvun optikoista. Alla tarkempi yksityiskohtainen kuvaus suvun maineteoista.
Arthur Chevalier (1830 – 1874)
Arthur Chevalier was the last member of a family dynasty of opticians in Paris, France. It was in the year 1765 that Louis-Vincent Chevalier (1734 -1804) established an optical firm in Paris at 60 Quai de l’Horloge du Palais, followed later by his sons Louis and Jacques Vincent (1770-1841). In 1823, the son of Jacques Vincent, Charles Lewis (1804-1859), built the first microscope that was described as “truly achromatic and aberration-free.” This optical feat was an important development in the evolution of the microscope as an important scientific instrument. In about 1825 a partnership was formed between Vincent and his son Charles, which lasted until the year 1831. In the year 1831, Charles Chevalier took over the operation of the optical firm and moved to 163 Palais-Royal, Paris. It was Charles who built the first universal microscope that was described as “horizontal, vertical, simple and compound” and could be used for a variety of tasks including use as a chemical microscope and a dissecting microscope.
In 1857, Charles’ health began to decline. Upon the death of Charles Chevalier, in 1959, his son, Arthur, took over the firm, which was then located at 158 Galerie de Valois, Palais-Royal, Paris. Relative to his optical productions, Arthur proved to be a great imitator and not a very good innovator as most of his instruments soon began to reflect those made by the rival Paris optical firm of Nachet et Fils. In 1870, Arthur Chevalier obtained the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the German University of Rostock – this only a few months after his close Belgian friend, Henri van Heurck, received a like title from the same institution. Thereafter, Arthur was known as “Doctor Arthur Chevalier” and some of his microscopes were signed with this distinguished moniker. During his tenure as the head of the Chevalier optical firm, Arthur wrote several books on optics including, “L’Etudiant Micrographie” (1st Edition in 1864, 2nd Edition in 1865, and 3rd Edition in 1885), L’Etudiant Photographe,”and “L’Etudiant Oculiste.”
Upon Arthur’s death in 1874, the firm was left in the hands of his two young daughters, who were barely into their early teens when their father died. Apparently several of Arthur’s optical technicians carried on the day to day operations of the business until June 1881 when the firm was eventually sold to a Mr. Avizard for 150, 000 francs. The firm appears to have lasted into the late 1890s before disappearing into the mists of history, thus ending a family dynasty of skilled opticians that managed to last over 100 years.