Antoine Molteni facts for kids
Pierre François Antoine Molteni (born 1786 – died 1866) was a very important person in the world of scientific tools. He made and sold optical instruments and other scientific equipment. He is famous for building the first devices used by Louis Daguerre, who invented photography. Molteni also started a well-known company in Paris called "Maison Molteni."
Joseph Antoine Balthazard Molteno: The Founder (1746-1808)
Antoine Molteni's father was Joseph Antoine Balthazard Molteno. He was an Italian immigrant. Joseph was born in Switzerland in 1746 or 1747. His family came from the Milan area in Italy.
Joseph traveled to Amsterdam around 1765. For several years, he sold barometers there. He usually used the name Joseph Molten. In 1767, he married Johanna Allen. They had two sons and a daughter. Later, Joseph moved to Paris in 1782. He started selling optical instruments there. Joseph was very important in creating the "Robertson fantoscope," a type of projector. When he died in 1808, his son Antoine took over the family business.
At that time, Italian last names were changing. The Molteno family used both "Molteno" and "Molteni" for their name.
Antoine Molteni: Building a Legacy
Antoine Molteni ran his business from a place at 11 rue du Coq Saint-Honoré in Paris. This place became known as the "Maison Molteni." On April 2, 1817, he made the company much bigger. He partnered with Joseph Duroni. They added more workshops and stores, including one at Palais-Royal.
In the 1830s, Molteni started working closely with Louis Daguerre. They were introduced by Alphonse Giroux. Molteni made the very first devices that Daguerre used in 1839. These were important for the early days of photography. They worked together until 1846. That's when the Molteni family moved their business to a new address.
The company kept a strong interest in photography. But they also started making many other precise instruments. Their factory and warehouses were on the same street. They used steam engines, rolling mills, and metal smelters. These helped them make their products.
The Molteni family also designed and built many other things. These included tools for ships, mathematical devices, and measuring tools. They also made early lighting systems.
Antoine Molteni married Marie Madeleine Alexandrine Sauclières. They had two sons, Pierre Marie Joseph and Louis Jules. They also had a daughter, Joséphine Émilie.
Passing Down the Business: Molteni's Successors
On December 24, 1836, Antoine brought his oldest son, Pierre Marie Joseph Molteni, into the business. Pierre was born in 1811 and died in 1852. Then, in September 1841, Antoine made Ferdinand Siegler a partner. Ferdinand was an employee who was very close to the family.
This led to the start of Molteni and Co. ("Molteni & Cie") on September 2, 1841. This company focused on designing and making optics, physics, and mathematical equipment. Meanwhile, Antoine's second son, Jules Molteni, started a big expansion in 1843. New stores opened in 1852 and 1853.
Joseph Molteni died in 1852. After that, Jules ran the company alone for a while. Antoine guided him.
In 1863, Jules and his elderly father brought Joseph's son, François Marie Alfred Molteni, into the business. Alfred was born in 1837 and died in 1907. The company then became known as "J. &. A. Molteni". By 1865, Alfred was playing the most active role. After Jules died in 1876, Alfred ran the company alone until 1899. He then handed it over to Radiguet and Massiot. Today, the company is still a leading French maker of scientific materials.
The Molteni family's tomb is in the Cemetery of Pere Lachaise. It is marked by a small obelisk.
