active market In that city. Hamlin was one of the first engravers 

 in America and the first in Rhode Island. He designed and en- 

 graved banknotes for many banks in the State and for other insti- 

 tutions. At the same time he carried on a general trade in the 

 sale of musical instruments. Hamlin moved his shop several times, 

 but from 1847 until his death he worked at "The Sign of the 

 Quadrant" (see fig. 22) at 131 South Water Street. He was 

 equally interested in optics and astronomy, and it has been claimed 

 that he constructed the first telescope in America. It is well 

 established that he worked for many years to perfect a reflecting 

 telescope for his own use.*^ 



Instruments were made also by Paul Pease, who may have been 

 the husband of the daughter of Nathaniel Folger of Nantucket. 

 This Elizabeth Folger Pease, wife of a Paul Pease, was born in 1720 

 and died in 1795. Little is known about Pease except for the name 

 "Paul Pease 1750" inscribed on a quadrant in the collection of the 

 Rhode Island Historical Society.*^ 



Connecticut 



The clockmakers who worked in Connecticut during the span 

 of the 18th century numbered almost a hundred. Yet only a half 

 dozen appear on record to have made or sold instruments in addi- 

 tion to clocks Among these were several members of the Doo- 

 little family, including Isaac Doolittle (1721-1800) of New Haven. 

 In 1763 he advertised that he sold surveying compasses in addition 

 to clocks, watches, bar iron, and chocolate.*^ His son Isaac 

 Doolittle, Jr. (1759-1821), also of New Haven, established a shop 

 of his own, which he advertised in 1781 as having 



Compasses of all kinds, both for sea and land, surveyors scales, and protrac- 

 tors, gauging rods, walking sticks, silver and plated buttons, turned upon 

 horn; also clocks and watches made and repaired ....■*■* 



Although not very active as a clockmaker, Isaac Jr. appears to 

 have specialized more in the production of surveying and nautical 

 instruments. He took over his father's business just before the 

 latter's death, and in 1799 he advertised ^^: 



^^ Gladys R. Lane, "Rhode Island's Earliest Engraver," Antiques (March 

 1925), pp. 133-137. 

 *2 Chapin, op. cit. (footnote 39), p. 399. 

 ■*^ HooPEs, op. cit. (footnote 18), pp. 70-72. 

 ** The Connecticut Journal, June 7, 1781. 

 *Mbid., May 22, 1799. 



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