View source for Taylor-Hobson

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|image= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5267/5673167067_b4dbe47afc.jpg
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|image_text= US advertisement of 1913<br/>
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|image_rights=public domain 1923
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<!-- it is unclear what relationship T-H and Cooke Optics had along the years -Awcam -->
'''Taylor-Hobson''' are lens and precision instrument manufacturers based in Leicester, England. 

The company was founded as '''T.S. and W. Taylor''' in 1886 by engineer William & optician Thomas Smithies Taylor. In 1887, W.S.H. Hobson joined the company.

In 1893 they produced their first Cooke lenses, designed by H. Dennis Taylor (no relation to the company founders) - optics manager of [[Cooke|T. Cooke & Sons]], York. Taylor was attempting to eliminate the aberrations at the outer edge of lenses, and in 1893 patented the Cooke triplet design (British patent no. 1991)<ref>[https://cookeoptics.com/cooke-history/ Company history] at the [https://cookeoptics.com/ Cooke Optics website]</ref>. Manufacturing rights were offered to '''Taylor, Taylor & Hobson''', as the company was then known.

In 1932, the first Cooke zoom lens was introduced for cine applications. Around this time, Taylor, Taylor and Hobson was part-owned by [[Bell and Howell]].<ref name=EP>[http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/companies3.html#T Company information] at [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/index.html Early Photography]; the notes cite Rudolf Kingslake's ''History of the Photographic Lens'' (1989), Academic Press.</ref> By 1939, Taylor-Hobson claim to have produced over 80% of lenses for film studios across the world<ref name=THhistory>[https://www.taylor-hobson.com/aboutus/history Company history] at the [https://www.taylor-hobson.com/ Taylor-Hobson company web site]</ref>. Like much of the British photographic industry, the company became part of Rank at some time in the '40s.<ref name=EP />

The company still exists, making lenses and lens measurement equipment, as well as measuring devices used in industrial and medical fields <ref>[https://www.taylor-hobson.com/products/overview Products Overview] at the Taylor-Hobson website.</ref>. It is currently part of the US-based Ametek, Inc. The separate lens company, '''[[Cooke|Cooke Optics]]''', also still exists in Leicester.

William Taylor was also responsible for testing golf balls in a wind tunnel, and developing a dimpled golf ball<ref name=THhistory></ref>.


==Taylor, Taylor and Hobson Lenses==

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|image= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5794/20821098932_3b2015aea8_n.jpg 
|image_align= right
|image_text=  Cooke Portrait Anastigmat Series IIE, c.1939<br>10&frac12; inch f/4.5 
|image_by= Geoff Harrisson
|image_rights= wp
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* Adotal
* Apotal
* Aviar
* Cooke Amotal
* Cooke Portrait Anastigmat
* [[Cooke triplet]]
* Ental
* Ortal
* Roytal
* Telepanchro<ref>[https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Taylor-Hobson-Cooke-Telepanchro-4-406mm-16-Inch-T4.5/AI-20-13152 Cooke Telepanchro 16 inch (406 mm) f/4 adapted for Nikon F mount], c1960, sold (for €2160) at the [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Cameras/Past-Auctions/Auction-20/ 20th Westlicht Photographica Auction], on 12 November 2011.</ref>

*Casket sets
**No. 3 Casket<ref>Consisting of the lens barrel with rear element and four interchangeable front elements engraved W.A.R Front, R.R. Front, W.A.R. Back, and R.R. Back. The lens barrel has a built-in iris diaphragm near the front, and is engraved 'EQ.Foc 3in'; 'EQ. Foc 3.34.in'  and 'EQ. Foc 5.4 in' with three sets of aperture settings marked 'W.A.R.,'  'R.R.,' 'and 'R.V.' (Seen in an on-line auction Jan 2014).</ref>



T-H lenses may be dated from their [[Serial numbers |serial numbers]]. Taylor, Taylor and Hobson also made [[Talykron]] shutters that some of these lenses are mounted in.
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==Links==
*[https://www.taylor-hobson.com/aboutus/history Company history page] at [https://www.taylor-hobson.com/ Taylor-Hobson's homepage]
*[https://cookeoptics.com/cooke-history/ Company history page] at [https://cookeoptics.com/ Cooke Optics's homepage]


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|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nesster/4956776396/in/pool-camerawiki
|image= http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4145/4956776396_d4d2fd6e1d.jpg
|image_align= center
|image_text= 1913 ad of [[Taylor-Hobson]]
|scan_by= Nesster
|image_rights= commercial
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{{British companies}}
==Notes==
<references />

[[Category: Lens makers]]
[[Category: Shutter makers]]
[[Category: UK]]