De opmerkelijke geschiedenis van de Haagse instrumentmakersfirma ‘Eastland & Regenboog’(c.1768-1839), of hoe het beruchte Engelse patent voor de achromatische telescoop in Nederland werd ontdoken

Abstract

The remarkable history of the optical firm ‘Eastland & Regenboog’ in The Hague In 1768 the famous patent lawsuit concerning the Dollond patent on the achromatic telescope forced the London optician William Eastland (c. 1702-1787) to leave England. In court Eastland had claimed that he started his production of achromatic telescopes in 1753, in accordance with the design of Chester Moore Hall. After the judicial verdict, Eastland settled in The Hague, in the Dutch Republic, where the English patent was not valid. Here he was able to continue his production of achromatic telescopes. From ca. 1779 Eastland worked together with the Delft instrument maker Jonas Regenboog, producing optical instruments, among others for the Dutch East India Company. Regenboog continued the firm until 1839.