Costa

Contenu

Nom
Costa
Couverture temporelle
2/2 18th century
Biographie
An optician known from a six lens telescope in the George III collection which is marked 'Dr Demainbray 1752', and is mentioned by Demainbray in both the French and English syllabi for his lectures of 1754 as having been made by Costa of Bordeaux.1 Since Demainbray uses the terms 'Signor' and 'Seigneur' for him one could assume an Italian origin. In this case he could be a relative of the makers Cæsar Costa and Antonio Costa of Mirandola both of whom were active at the end of the 17th century. A second instrument by Costa - a Joblot-type microscope - is mentioned in the Queen's catalogue.2 He is probably the same person as Coste who supplied Darquier at Toulouse with a six lens telescope.3
Notes biographiques
1 'Un Telescope dioptrique à six lentilles qui double le champ de vision … ces lentilles sont de la façon du Signeur Costa de Bordeaux'. Morton & Wess 133, 198U.
2 Information from Jane Wess, the Science Museum, London, 17 September 1998.
3 Darquier viii.
Adresse ; enseigne ; période ; source
Bordeaux
Identifiant
1434
ark:/18469/1rctc