Humfray Cole (died 1591) was an English maker of scientific instruments and engraver.
Life
Cole was, according to his own description, a native of the north of England. From his employment at the mint and the general character of his work he appears to have been a mechanician.
Edward Dyer
Sir Edward Dyer (October 1543 – May 1607) was an English courtier and poet.
Life
The son of Sir Thomas Dyer, Kt., he was born at Sharpham Park, Glastonbury, Somerset. He was educated, according to Anthony Wood, either at Balliol ...
acted as his patron, and he was commended as artisan by
Gabriel Harvey.
For the second edition of the ''
Bishops' Bible'', published in 1572, he engraved a map of
Palestine
__NOTOC__
Palestine may refer to:
* State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia
* Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia
* Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
, as
Canaan, thought to be based on a 1557 map by
Tilemann Stella or Stoltz. On it he describes himself as "Humfray Cole, goldsmith, an Englishman born in ye north and pertayning to ye Mint in the Tower, 1572."
Poorly paid at the mint, Cole took outside commissions; he undertook to supply any of the instruments shown in the 1571 ''Pantometria'' of
Leonard Digges and
Thomas Digges. He supplied instruments to
Martin Frobisher
Sir Martin Frobisher (; c. 1535 – 22 November 1594) was an English seaman and privateer who made three voyages to the New World looking for the North-west Passage. He probably sighted Resolution Island near Labrador in north-eastern Canada ...
.
[ ] He was employed in engraving mathematical and astronomical instruments in brass, of which there are specimens in the
British Museum. One of these is an
astrolabe
An astrolabe ( grc, ἀστρολάβος ; ar, ٱلأَسْطُرلاب ; persian, ستارهیاب ) is an ancient astronomical instrument that was a handheld model of the universe. Its various functions also make it an elaborate inclin ...
, at one time in the possession of
Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales (19 February 1594 – 6 November 1612), was the eldest son and heir apparent of James VI and I, King of England and Scotland; and his wife Anne of Denmark. His name derives from his grandfathers: Henry Stuar ...
.
He also made an
armillary sphere
An armillary sphere (variations are known as spherical astrolabe, armilla, or armil) is a model of objects in the sky (on the celestial sphere), consisting of a spherical framework of rings, centered on Earth or the Sun, that represent lines of ...
.
James Gregory purchased examples of Cole's work in London in 1673, for the
University of St Andrews.
also mentions Cole as an innovator in the design of a
ship's log.
Notes
External links
Objects by Cole at the British MuseumObjects by Cole at the National Maritime MuseumPage at the Museum of the History of Science
;Attribution
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cole, Humfray
1591 deaths
English engravers
16th-century English people
Year of birth unknown