Mercklein
This entry applies to the brothers Jean-Tobie Mercklein and his brother Jean-Godefroi Mercklein, who became royal mechanicians at the court of Louis XVI, at the garde meuble de la couronne (the royal depository of furniture and works of art).
After the French Revolution, they worked for the new Government of the Republic. Their work included measuring standards for the new metric system.
It appears that the brothers came from Saxony, so the names Jean-Tobie and Jean-Godefroi were presumably French versions of Germanic names.
A magnificant ornamental turning lathe by I. T. (J-T) Mercklein is on display at the Musée des Arts et Métiers. See Mercklein Lathe.
See Also
Sources of Information
- [1] Harvard: The Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments