Peter Dollond | |
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| Born | (1731-02-02)2 February 1731 Kensington, London, England |
| Died | 2 July 1820(1820-07-02) (aged 89)[1] |
| Known for | Achromatic lens |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Optics |
Peter Dollond (2 February 1731 – 2 July 1820)[1][2] was an English inventor ofoptical instruments. He was the son of opticianJohn Dollond. He is known for his successful optics business, and for the invention of theapochromat.
Dollond was born inKensington. Working together with his father and subsequently with his younger brother and nephew (George Dollond) he successfully designed and manufactured a number of optical instruments. He is particularly credited with the invention of the tripleachromatic lens - i.e.,apochromatic lens - in 1763, still in wide use today,[3][4] though known as theCooke triplet after a much later 1893 patent.
Peter Dollond worked at first silk weaving with his father, but his father's passion for optics inspired him so much that in 1750 Peter quit the silk business and opened an optical instruments shop inKennington,London. After two years, his father gave up silk, too, and joined him.
Dollond telescopes, forsidereal or terrestrial use, were amongst the most popular in both Great Britain and abroad for a period of over one and half centuries. AdmiralLord Nelson himself owned one. Another had sailed withCaptain Cook in 1769 to observe theTransit of Venus. He was elected to theAmerican Philosophical Society in 1772.[5]
The Peter Dollond compound chestmicroscope is based on improvements to the Cuff-style microscope introduced by British scientific instrument designersEdward Nairne and Thomas Blunt around 1780. Another design was for the Peter Dollond compound monocular Eriometer around 1790 used to accurately measure the thickness and size ofwool fibres.
After successfully defending a legal challenge to the patent he held for the achromatic lens the business prospered and he successfully sued his rivals for patent infringement.[4] Dollond's reputation, especially with his father being a Fellow of theRoyal Society as a result of his development and patenting of theachromat, provided the company with thede factoright of refusal on the best opticalflint glass.[6] This privilege permitted Dollond to maintain an edge in quality over competitor's telescopes and optical instruments for many years.
Notable customers also included:[4]
Dollond & Co merged with Aitchison & Co in 1927 to formDollond & Aitchison, the well-known British high street chain ofopticians.
Peter Dollond's wife was Ann Phillips and they had two daughters, Louise and Anne.[7]
Media related toPeter Dollond at Wikimedia Commons
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