A Research on the Origin of the Scientific Instruments of Robert Hooke

为了完成上述项目，我在英国(4次，主要是在科学图书馆博物馆)和巴黎国家图书馆进行了档案研究。在这个过程中，我清楚地意识到，我应该关注黄铜制造技术(仪器的关键材料)的出现，以及科学仪器制造工匠传统的形成。研究结果如下：1.17世纪中叶之前，英国一直依赖进口的大陆黄铜，然后移民工匠在17世纪50年代左右植入了它的技术。黄铜的国内生产是在17世纪下半叶实现的，主要是在布里斯托尔附近。2.第一批乐器制造商也是移民。他们专门从事雕刻和海军乐器，两者都是基于黄铜技术。它们最初属于杂货商公司，1631年钟表公司成立后逐渐转移到钟表商公司。这些事实有力地表明，胡克乐器的起源是通过黄铜技术与海军乐器有很大关系的雕刻。这一传统融入了钟表制造，当研究项目开始时，我认为这是胡克乐器的起源。

To perform the project above, I made archival studies in UK (4 times, mainly at the Library of Science Museum) and at Biblioteque National of Paris. In this process, it became clear that I should focus on the emergence of brass-making technology (the crucial material for instruments), and the formation of the craftsman tradition for scientific instrument making.The result of the research is the following :1.England was dependent on imported continental brass until the midst of the seventeenth century, and then immigrant craftsmen implanted its technology around 1650s. Domestic production of the brass was achieved in the latter half of the seventeenth century mainly near Bristol.2.The first group of instrument makers was also immigrant. They were specialized in engravings and also naval instruments, both of which were based on brass technology. At first, they belonged to the Grocer's Company, and gradually moved to the Clockmaker's Company after its establishment in 1631.These facts strongly suggest that the origin of Hooke's instruments was engravings which had much to do with naval instruments through brass technology. This tradition merged into clock-making, which I supposed to be the origin of Hooke's instruments when the research project was started.